Daily Maverick The Highwaymen

The Highwaymen

In December 2022, the 55th – and possibly last – elective conference of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress will take place against a backdrop of socio-political chaos. In this new limited audio documentary series by Daily Maverick, investigative journalists Richard Poplak and Diana Neille take a road trip across South Africa in search of answers to how the country got to this breaking point, and how the lives and careers of three senior ANC figures – Ace Magashule, Gwede Mantashe and Dr Zweli Mkhize – may be representative of the rise and stumble of our once vaunted democratic project and, by extension, liberal democracies everywhere.
Weekly English South Africa News · Politics
10 Episodes

EPISODE 8: Democracy is a Funny Thing

In this final episode of the journey, investigative journalists Diana Neille and Richard Poplak visit the ground zero of the July 2021 uprising: the strategic town of Mooi River. Here, we wrap up our deep dive into the nature of 21st-century liberal democracy, and come to some conclusions on why…
7 Dec 2022 37 min

EPISODE 7: Lights Out

Gwede Mantashe now presides over the most important portfolio in the Cabinet — mining and energy. He’s run it like a fiefdom, trying to shut down any real commitment to a green energy transition. We also explore how Mantashe aided and abetted state capture, and the slow but sure creep…
4 Dec 2022 18 min

EPISODE 6: Island of Angels

In this episode, the investigation swerves into South Africa’s Eastern Cape province — home of Struggle heroes like Nelson Mandela, Govan Mbeki and the Sisulus. But here the focus is on one of the most powerful politicians of the democratic era — Gwede Mantashe, long-time ANC boss and current Minister…
30 Nov 2022 25 min

EPISODE 5: 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…
23 Nov 2022 25 min

EPISODE 4: Out In Their Coats

For many years, the Free State functioned as the personal fiefdom of one of South Africa’s most prominent – and most dangerous – politicians: former drama nerd, “internal exile” and Secretary General of the African National Congress, Elias “Ace” Magashule. Nokwanda Ngombane and her family experienced firsthand the thrall Magashule…
16 Nov 2022 24 min
 bonus  

BONUS EPISODE: Pallo Jordan's Waltz

In this bonus mini-episode, Diana Neille and Richard Poplak give some context to their seven-point progression of how liberal democracies break down over time, referred to throughout the series. They’ve enlisted the help of struggle stalwart and former cabinet minister and ANC National Executive Committee member, Pallo Jordan, to illustrate…
15 Nov 2022 9 min

EPISODE 3: A Rising Tide Lifts All Superyachts

Investigative journalists Richard Poplak and Diana Neille continue their travels around KwaZulu-Natal. As they hear from those on the ground, and as they dig deeper into the history of the embattled province, and that of its notorious former leader, Dr Zweli Mkhize, they are drawn into the heart of Assassination…
9 Nov 2022 25 min

EPISODE 2: Bad Medicine

KwaZulu-Natal is the diva of South African provinces, a place with a deep and complex history of political violence that has not abated, and one that has suffered a string of disasters, uprisings and climate catastrophes in recent years. One of its most famous sons is Dr Zwelini Lawrence Mkhize,…
2 Nov 2022 22 min

EPISODE 1: We’ll Miss it When it’s Gone

Investigative journalists Richard Poplak and Diana Neille set out on a road trip through post-uprising South Africa, in search of answers to help explain what is happening to the country’s democracy and, by extension, to many others around the world. They meet with two self-described community activists in Durban, who…
23 Oct 2022 26 min

The Highwaymen | Trailer

In December 2022, the 55th – and possibly last – elective conference of South Africa’s ruling African National Congress will take place against a backdrop of socio-political chaos. In this new limited audio documentary series by Daily Maverick, investigative journalists Richard Poplak and Diana Neille take a road trip across…
13 Oct 2022 2 min