Gangster State

somewhere in Bethlehem, and that the murder weapon had indeed
been thrown into the Saulspoort Dam. But the getaway driver was too
afraid for his life to come forward and testify about what had
happened, seeing as he knew that the authorities were in on the
conspiracy.
The spook also told Marshoff that he had informed some very senior
people about what he had learnt, but that they appeared to be unwilling
to take the matter seriously. He alleged to have met with or spoken to
NIA boss Billy Masetlha, safety and security minister Charles Nqakula
and national police commissioner Jackie Selebi.
Before taking leave of Marshoff for the last time, the spook again
claimed that there would soon be a scapegoat for the murder. This
would form part of a high-level cover-up to protect the real culprits, he
told her.
During this time, another curious thing happened. Magashule
apparently told at least two people that he was worried he might be
held accountable for murder. ‘I met with Ace soon after Noby’s death,’
said one former Magashule confidant. ‘He told me he was really
concerned that he would get arrested for conspiracy to commit
murder.’
A second former confidant also told me that Magashule had expressed
fears that he might be arrested. But he need not have worried. As if on
cue, less than two weeks after the shooting, City Press published a
story that pointed to Nokwanda as the main suspect.^13 ‘The widow of
slain Free State government official Noby Ngombane made enquiries
about insurance benefits [in the event of Ngombane’s death] 10 days
before her husband was shot and killed,’ the newspaper reported.
From the article’s content, it seems obvious that the paper got its