The double murder trial of Limpopo pig farmer Zachariah Olivier resumed at the Polokwane High Court on Wednesday, where he detailed through his lawyer how he allegedly discovered the bodies of two women at his farm last year.
Olivier, along with his employees Rudolph de Wet and William Musora, stands accused of killing Maria Makgato (45) and Lucia Ndlovu (35) before disposing of their bodies in a pigsty at Onverwacht Farm in Sebayeng, outside Polokwane, on August 17 2024.
Denying involvement in murders
On Tuesday, Olivier pleaded guilty only to charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, possession of unlicensed ammunition, and employing an illegal foreigner — but denied any involvement in the murders.
His co-accused, Rudolf de Wet, has since turned Section 204 state witness in the case.
Through his lawyer, Jacobus Venter, Olivier told the court that he and De Wet were patrolling the farm when they came across the first body.
“I fired four warning shots in a safe direction to scare trespassers, while De Wet, who is now a state witness, also fired three shots in an unknown direction,” Venter read from Olivier’s statement.
“Immediately after both of us fired shots, De Wet switched on his cellphone flashlight and started moving away from the area which I directed my warning shots at. He called me over to indicate that he found a body of a person lying face down,” he said.
Olivier claimed he panicked after the gruesome discovery and left the scene.
“I was shocked, frightened, and frustrated with the gruesome discovery and what had just transpired that I panicked and immediately left the scene. I wanted some time to consider the situation, as I was extremely emotional and shocked,” the statement continued.
Bodies moved to pig stall
He told the court that the following morning he returned to the scene with De Wet, and together they moved the body into an empty pig stall to “keep the pigs away”.
Later that day, Musora allegedly informed them of a second body found about 60 metres from the first.
“Thereafter, myself and Mr De Wet forced Mr Musora to assist us to move the body and placed it next to the first body within the pigsty,” Olivier said.
Destroying ‘murder’ weapons
“On Monday, 19 August 2024, in a panicked state, I proceeded to cut up both the rifles that were used to shoot the warning shots into pieces and disposed of them. I was scared and disgusted with the rifles and what had transpired.”
Olivier said he called the Sebayeng Police Station two days later.
Musora has pleaded not guilty to all charges, including murder, defeating the ends of justice, and contravention of the Immigration Act. Through his lawyer, Desmond Nonyane, Musora told the court that he acted under duress and was threatened by Olivier and De Wet to help move the second body and not to report the incident.
Both Makgato and Ndlovu were reportedly shot and killed while collecting expired food at the farm. Ndlovu’s husband, Mabutho Ncube, who was with them at the time, was also shot but survived the incident.
