Police minister: No bail for accused farmer in Limpopo pigsty murders

Police Minister Senzo Mchunu says granting bail to a Limpopo farmer who allegedly murdered his two female employees and dumped their bodies in a pigsty would pose a threat to public safety.

Zachariah Olivier, 60, a farmer, and his two employees, 19-year-old Adriaan de Wet and 45-year-old William Musoro, were arrested after the discovery of the bodies on a farm in Sebayeng, outside Mankweng, on 20 August.

Warning: The content contained within this article features imagery which readers may find disturbing.

FARMER IN COURT FOR HORRIFIC LIMPOPO PIGSTY MURDERS

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in Limpopo, on 17 August, a Clover truck had dumped alleged expired or soon to be expired goods and the two women and a surviving victim trespassed into the farm to collect the goods.

The NPA said the farmers Olivier and de Wet were prepared to shoot members of the community who trespass into the farm.

NPA spokesperson in Limpopo, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said Musora discovered the women’s bodies the next day and alerted Olivier and de Wet.

The three suspects then allegedly proceeded to remove the two deceased bodies from where they had died and dumped them into a pigsty.

“The pigs then started consuming one of the deceased’s bodies on the upper part. It is alleged that accused one (Olivier) cut the firearm used in the murder and disposed of it along the R80 road. The accused did not report the incident until 20 August,” Malabi-Dzhangi said.

In an interview with Newzroom Afrika, Mabutho Ndlovu, the man who survived the horrific incident said the first shot was fired into the air. The second bullet hit him while the third bullet hit Mariah Makgato the other woman they were with and the fourth bullet hit his wife Lucia Ndlovu.

Ndlovu then crawled to the main road, received assistance and was then transported to the hospital. Before he was told about his wife’s passing, he said he thought that she was also admitted in the same hospital.

According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), the suspects appeared in the Mankweng Magistrate’s Court on charges of two counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, defeating the ends of justice and contravention of the Immigration Act as Musoro is an illegal immigrant.

The accused will return to court on Friday, 30 August for a formal bail application.

POLICE MINISTER CONDEMNS THE INCIDENT

Mchunu strongly condemned the murders and emphasised that he hoped that the court would recognise the gravity of this situation during the bail application.

Mchunu said granting bail to these suspects would undermine the severity of their alleged crimes and threaten public safety.

“I commend the Provincial Tracking Team and the Murder and Robbery Unit for their diligent work apprehending these suspects. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims during this tough time. We will continue to do everything we can to support the ongoing investigation and bring closure to those affected by this tragedy,” he said.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE LIMPOPO FARMER’S ACT?

Let us know by clicking on the comment tab below this article or by emailing info@thesouthafrican.com or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. You can also follow @TheSAnews on X and The South African on Facebook for the latest news.