---
title: "The Highwaymen, Episode 5: Ace – Mister ten percent"
description: "Continuing with the Elias “Ace” Magashule saga, Diana Neille and Richard Poplak delve into the alleged political murder of Noby Ngombane, a key administrator in the attempted clean-up of the Free State during the early zeroes. His assassination is an example of what can happen when, in the binary gap between opportunity and poverty, liberal democracies begin to swerve toward gangsterism. The tragedy reverberates through the years, as if the sound of the gunshots has never faded."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "PODCAST"
author: "Richard Poplak and Diana Neille"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/richard-poplak-and-diana-neille/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-11-24-the-highwaymen-episode-5-ace-mister-ten-percent/"
published: "2022-11-24T14:09:39"
updated: "2023-09-06T08:11:20"
lang: "en-ZA"
---

# The Highwaymen, Episode 5: Ace – Mister ten percent

> Continuing with the Elias “Ace” Magashule saga, Diana Neille and Richard Poplak delve into the alleged political murder of Noby Ngombane, a key administrator in the attempted clean-up of the Free State during the early zeroes. His assassination is an example of what can happen when, in the binary gap between opportunity and poverty, liberal democracies begin to swerve toward gangsterism. The tragedy reverberates through the years, as if the sound of the gunshots has never faded.

By Richard Poplak and Diana Neille · Published 24 November 2022, 16:09 SAST · Updated 6 September 2023, 10:11 SAST

## Content

[Media](https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=INBROAD2673044078&light=true)