South African farmers accused of killing two women and feeding them to pigs

10 September 2024, 13:44

Zachariah Olivier, Adrian Rudolph de Wet and William Musora in court in Polokwane, South Africa
South Africa Farm Killings. Picture: PA

The men appeared in court in Polokwane, in the northern province of Limpopo, on Tuesday.

Three men in South Africa have been accused of killing two women and feeding their bodies to pigs on their farm in a case that has outraged the public.

The men appeared in court in Polokwane, in the northern province of Limpopo, on Tuesday.

The state wants them to remain behind bars until their trial is concluded.

Farm owner Zachariah Johannes Olivier, supervisor Adrian Rudolph de Wet and employee William Musora face two counts of premeditated murder, one count of attempted murder and possession of an unlicensed firearm.

Musora, a Zimbabwean national, also faces charges of being in the country illegally.

South Africa Farm Killings
Protesters demonstrate outside the court in Polokwane, South Africa (AP)

It is alleged that, in August, a truck belong to a dairy company dumped potentially expired goods at Olivier’s farm, prompting the women, Locadia Ndlovu and Maria Makgatho, to trespass and try to collect the products. Both were shot and killed.

A man with them was injured and crawled to a nearby road to scream for help. He told police, who found the women’s decomposed bodies in a pigsty.

Several political parties protested outside Mankweng Magistrates’ Court, calling for the men to be denied bail and face the harshest possible sentence.

The South African Human Rights Commission called on the public not to take the law into their own hands in retaliation.

Violent crimes on South Africa’s farms have been a concern for years, including the killing of farmers by criminals and farmers’ abuse of workers.

The case will continue next month.

By Press Association

Latest World News

See more Latest World News

A burned car is seen among debris in the wreckage of a home destroyed by the Palisades Fire in Malibu

Fresh warnings as death toll from wildfires rises to 25

South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol speaks during the declaration of emergency martial law at the Presidential Office on December 03

Impeached South Korean president finally arrested for trying to impose martial law

Politicians from the ruling People Power Party speak to media outside of the gate of the presidential residence in Seoul

South Korea’s impeached president detained in martial law investigation

Elon Musk is being sued for failing to disclose his purchase of Twitter stocks before buying the company in 2022, which ‘allowed him to underpay’ by at least $150m (£123m).

US sues Musk for failing to disclose Twitter stock holdings to buy platform at ‘artificially low prices’

Musk-Neuralink Explainer

Elon Musk sued over failure to disclose stocks before buying Twitter

Police officers stand in front of the gate of the presidential residence of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul

South Korean law enforcement officials enter presidential compound

The Les Arcs resort in the Savoie region in France.

British woman, 62, dies on mountain slope after ‘violent collision’ with another UK tourist

A VW van sits among burned-out homes in Malibu, California

‘It should have been toasted’: Retro blue VW van survives deadly LA wildfire

South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol speaks during the declaration of emergency martial law at the Presidential Office on December 03

South Korean standoff as police move in to arrest impeached president Yoon Suk Yeol for second time

Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s choice to be defence secretary, appears before the Senate Armed Services Committee for his confirmation hearing, at the Capitol in Washington

Senators grill Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s choice for Pentagon chief

Search and rescue workers dig through the rubble left behind by the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California

Southern California faces new wildfire warnings as winds regain strength

A new species of funnel-web spider has been discovered in Newcastle, Australia - even larger and more venomous than common Sydney funnel-web spiders.

New bigger and more venomous species of world’s deadliest spider found in Australia

Police and private security officers near an opening to a gold mine in Stilfontein, South Africa, where hundreds of illegal miners are trapped

Rescuers bid to bring out survivors among hundreds trapped in South African mine

Sevilla footballer Kike Salas has been detained by police

Spanish football star arrested over 'match fixing scam'

A red model house created by artist Mikael Genberg and scheduled to launch into space on a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida on Wednesday

Swedish artist’s model house could soon find permanent home on Moon

Nato chief Mark Rutte said the mission, named “Baltic Sentry”, will involve increased surveillance of ships

Nato launches mission to protect undersea cables amid heightened fears of Russian sabotage