A farm worker in South Africa has claimed he was forced to feed the bodies of two women to pigs after they were allegedly murdered on a farm in Limpopo. The shocking revelation was made during a high-profile trial that has sparked outrage and stirred deep racial tensions in the country.
The case involves the deaths of 45-year-old Maria Makgato and 34-year-old Lucia Ndlovu, who were reportedly searching for discarded dairy products left for pigs on the farm when they were killed. One of the accused, 20-year-old Adrian de Wet, says he witnessed the killings and was then compelled under duress to dispose of the bodies by throwing them into a pig enclosure.
De Wet, who had worked as a supervisor on the farm, has turned state witness and is expected to testify against the farm owner, 60-year-old Zachariah Johannes Olivier. If his testimony is accepted by the court, all charges against him could be dropped.
The victims were allegedly shot by Olivier, and the act of disposing of their bodies was reportedly an attempt to destroy evidence. A third man, 50-year-old William Musora, is also facing charges. He, along with Olivier, remains in custody as the trial unfolds. Musora, a Zimbabwean national, faces an additional charge for being in the country illegally.
The men are also being charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting at Lucia Ndlovu’s husband, who was with the women during the incident. Additional charges include possession of an unlicensed firearm and obstruction of justice.
The courtroom was filled with emotion as family members of the victims gathered for the proceedings. Supporters and members of a political party that has previously called for the farm’s closure also attended. The wife of the accused farm owner was present in court and was seen visibly distressed during the hearing.
The tragedy has once again exposed the ongoing racial and economic tensions in South Africa’s rural farming areas, where a white minority still controls most of the land and black workers often endure poor conditions. Although apartheid officially ended decades ago, the legacy of inequality continues to fuel division.
The trial has been postponed to continue next week.