The trial of three men accused in the brutal double murder of two women at a Limpopo pig farm is set to begin today in the Polokwane High Court.
Farm owner Zachariah Olivier and two of his employees, Rudolph de Wet and William Musora, are charged with the murders of Maria Makgato and Lucia Ndlovu. The victims were allegedly shot and killed before their bodies were dumped in a pigsty at Onvervaght Farm in Sebayeng, near Polokwane.
According to the State, the killings took place following an altercation on the farm. Prosecutors have confirmed that accused number two, Rudolph de Wet, has been turned into a Section 204 State witness, meaning he has agreed to testify against his co-accused in exchange for possible immunity from prosecution, provided he gives full and truthful evidence.
The case has drawn public attention due to its disturbing nature and the involvement of a prominent local farmer. Security has been tightened around the court as proceedings begin, with community members and rights groups expected to attend in support of the victims’ families.
The State is ready to proceed, and the trial is expected to reveal detailed accounts of what led to the fatal incident.
The hearing continues this week in the Polokwane High Court.