Ranti Makgatho, the son of 45-year-old Maria Makgatho — one of the two women allegedly killed while searching for leftover food at Zachariah Olivier’s pig farm in Sebayeng outside Polokwane — is expected to continue his testimony at the Polokwane High Court. He will be detailing how he learned about his mother’s death.
Maria Makgatho and Lucia Ndlovu (35) were allegedly shot and killed at the farm on August 17 last year. Ndlovu’s husband, Mabutho Ncube, who was also shot during the incident, narrowly escaped death and managed to flee the scene.
On Wednesday, an emotional Ranti told the court through tears how he waited in vain for his mother. He said he became worried after his mother failed to arrive at their usual meeting spot. She was to return after collecting discarded food from the farm.
Friend told him of gunshots in area
When she did not return, he called his mother’s friend to ask about her whereabouts. The friend told him she had decided not to go to the farm that day after hearing gunshots in the area.
Proceedings were briefly adjourned to allow Makgatho to compose himself after he became emotional. He became distraught while describing how he was later told that his mother’s lifeless body had been found on the farm.
Earlier in the week, Olivier (60), through his legal representative Jacobus Venter, told the court that he and employee Rudolph de Wet were patrolling the farm when they came across the first body.
“I fired four warning shots in a safe direction to scare off 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, De Wet switched on his cellphone flashlight. He moved away from where I had directed my warning shots. He then called me over and showed me a body lying face down,” the statement continued.
Suspect claims they discovered the bodies
Olivier claimed that he panicked after the gruesome discovery.
“I was shocked, frightened, and frustrated by what had just transpired. I panicked and immediately left the scene as I needed time to process the situation,” he added.
Olivier told the court that he returned to the scene the following morning with De Wet. Together they moved the body into an empty pig stall “to keep the pigs away”.
Later that day, another employee, William Musora, allegedly informed them about a second body. He told them it was found about 60 metres from the first.
“Thereafter, Mr De Wet and I forced Mr Musora to assist us in moving the second body. We placed [it] next to the first [body] inside the pigsty,” Olivier stated.
Both Olivier and Musora are facing charges of double murder.
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