South African farmers accused of killing two women, feeding bodies to pigs

Three South African men are facing severe accusations after allegedly murdering two women and feeding their bodies to pigs on a farm, sparking widespread public outrage.

The accused—farm owner Zachariah Johannes Olivier, farm supervisor Andrian Rudolph de Wet, and employee William Musora—appeared in court on Tuesday in Limpopo province. The state has requested that they remain in custody until the trial is over.

The men are charged with two counts of premeditated murder, one count of attempted murder, and illegal possession of a firearm. Musora, a Zimbabwean national, also faces charges for being in South Africa unlawfully.

According to reports, the incident began in August when a truck from a dairy company dumped potentially expired goods at Olivier’s farm. Locadia Ndlovu and Maria Makgatho, the victims, reportedly trespassed on the property to retrieve the discarded products. The situation turned deadly when the women were allegedly shot and killed by the accused. A man accompanying them was injured but managed to crawl to a nearby road and call for help. When authorities arrived, they discovered the decomposed bodies of Ndlovu and Makgatho in a pigsty.

The case has ignited significant public outcry. Political groups gathered outside the Mankweng Magistrates Court, demanding that the accused be denied bail and face the strictest penalties possible. The South African Human Rights Commission has urged the public to refrain from taking the law into their own hands.

Farm violence in South Africa has long been a troubling issue, with reports of both criminal attacks on farmers and abuses perpetrated by farmers against their workers.

The legal proceedings are set to continue next month, and the case remains under close scrutiny as it unfolds.