Limpopo pigsty murders: Two accused abandon bid for bail

Two of the three men linked to the death of two women who were fed to pigs at Onverwacht farm, near Kotishing village in Makotopong, have abandoned their bid for bail.

Limpopo pig farmer Zackariah Olivier and his co-accused Rudolph de Wet, and Zimbabwean national William Musoro were back in the Polokwane Regional Court on Wednesday for a formal bail hearing.

Magistrate Ntilane Felleng presided over the matter.

Bail bid abandoned

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Mashudu Malabi Dzhangi said the matter was postponed to 22 November 2024 in respect of accused number one ( Olivier) for a bail application.

“Accused two (De Wet)  and three (Musoro) are no longer proceeding with the bail application. The matter is postponed to 18 February 2025 for further investigations. The appeal is upheld [and] the defence will receive the copies of the dockets before trial.”

All three accused will remain remanded in custody pending their bail applications.

ALSO READ: Limpopo pigsty murders: Bail hearing postponed after defence lawyer complains about his client’s statement

Killing

Olivier, de Wet and Musora, allegedly killed Maria Makgato and Lucia Ndlovu before dumping their bodies in a pigsty at Onvervaght farm in Sebayeng outside Polokwane in August.

Olivier de Wet and Musoro face multiple charges, including two counts of premeditated murder, attempted murder, possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition, and defeating the ends of justice.

Musora, who is a Zimbabwean national, faces an additional charge of contravening the Immigration Act.

States case

It is the State’s case that Makgato and Ndlovu went to the farm to collect expired food that the pigs were eating.

They were then allegedly shot and killed, and their bodies were dumped into the pigsty, where the animals feasted on their bodies.

During court proceedings last month, defence attorney Muhammad Farouk Valjee, representing accused number two stepped up to offer legal aid to Musoro after his previous lawyer retracted her services due to not having an order for the financial offering.

In August, Minister of Police Senzo Mchunu said justice must take its course in the heinous crime.

ALSO READ: Police minister calls for ‘justice without leniency’ for Limpopo women found dead in pigsty