Pig farm murders: Zachariah Olivier to spend Christmas in jail [VIDEO]

It’s going to be a grim Christmas and new year for Limpopo farmer Zachariah Olivier, who is accused of killing two women and throwing their bodies in a pigsty, after his bail application was postponed to next year.

The 62-year-old Olivier was expected to apply for bail in the Polokwane regional court on Friday.

Grim festive season for pig farm murder suspects

Olivier appeared visibly emotional, shaking his head when Magistrate Ntilane Felleng announced the postponement.

This means Olivier will spend Christmas and the new year behind bars.

Watch: An emotional Zachariah Olivier listens as his case is postponed

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Mashudu Malabi Dzhangi said the matter could not proceed due to the unavailability of the advocate who was supposed to deal with the bail application on behalf of the defence.

The matter has been postponed to 18 February 2025 for Olivier to join the other two accused, Rudolph de Wet and William Musora, in the Mankweng Magistrate’s Court.

ALSO READ: Limpopo pigsty murders: Two accused abandon bid for bail

Bail abandoned

Earlier this month, De Wet and Musora abandoned their bid for bail.

In October, 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.

Olivier, De Wet and Musora are accused of killing Maria Makgato and Lucia Ndlovu before dumping their bodies in a pigsty at Onvervaght farm in Sebayeng outside Polokwane in August.

Multiple charges

The trio 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.

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 consumed their bodies.

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