The three farmers who allegedly killed two black women at a farm in Limpopo appeared briefly in the Mankweng magistrate's court on Friday. They were remanded in custody.
Farm owner Zachariah Johannes Olivier, 60, Andrian Rudolph de Wet, 19 and William Musora appeared in court. They are facing charges of attempted murder and possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition. Also defeating the ends of justice.
Musora, a Zimbabwean national, is facing an additional charge of being in the country illegally.
Oliver is the owner of Onvervaght farm near Sebayeng outside Polokwane where Mariah Makgato, 47 was fatally shot.
Victims had gone to salvage dairy products dumped at the farm
It is reported that on August 17, Makgato, Zimbabwean national Lucia Ndlovu and her husband, went to Onvervaght farm. They were there to harvest rotten products dumped by a dairy merchant.
While they were at the farm, they were accosted the Oliver, De Wet and Musora. The trio allegedly shot them before feeding them to pigs.
While the women were still fighting for their lives, the man who was with them managed to flee.
He is reportedly receiving medical treatment in hospital.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the province, the accused did not report the incident. This was until August 20, when police received information, and the accused were arrested the following day.
Farmers intended to shoot to kill
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Mashudu Malabi- Dzhangi, spokesperson for the provincial NPA, gave details.
"It is alleged that on August 17, the deceased women and the injured man went to a farm under Sebayeng policing area. They went there to collect expired yoghurts and other perished dairy products. These are usually dumped by a truck believed to be from a dairy retailer," she said.
The farmers did not take kindly to the presence of the unwanted visitors on the farm. It is understood that Oliver and De Wet had intentions to shoot to kill the three. And they did just that by firing several live ammunition at the victims. After shooting them, they allegedly tossed the women into a pigsty. And the animals wasted no time in mauling them.
Decomposing bodies found in pigsty
They were found with open wounds on their upper torsos.
"After their families could not locate their whereabouts, the police were alerted. Their tip-offs led them to the farm. Police discovered the bodies of the women at an advanced decomposed state."
Malabi-Dzangi said they got a report that Oliver crushed the firearm used in the murder. He is alleged to have disposed it along R80 road.
The matter has been postponed to August 30 for profiling, whilst the accused remain in custody.
