Limpopo Pig Farm Murder Trial Postponed to 7 October
- Zachariah Olivier, who was arrested for allegedly murdering two people in Limpopo and discarding their bodies in a pigsty, appeared in court on 6 October 2025
- The trial for the pigsty murders was postponed, with Rudolph De Wet, who was arrested as a suspect, testifying as a state witness
- This was after he, William Musora, and Zachariah Olivier were arrested for the murders of Maria Makgato and Lucia Ndlovu
With 10 years’ experience, Tebogo Mokwena, Briefly News’ Deputy Head of the Current Affairs desk, South Africa, provided insights into the criminal justice system, crime statistics, commissions of inquiry, and high-profile cases in South Africa at Daily Sun.
Source: Twitter
POLOKWANE, LIMPOPO — The murder trial of Maria Makgato and Lucia Ndlovu, who were killed and their bodies dumped in a pigsty in Limpopo, appeared in court on 6 October 2025, and their trial was postponed.
The murder trial was supposed to commence on Monday, but was postponed to the following day. Murder accused Zachariah Olivier's lawyer requested to consult with the client. This was after the private ballistics expert they appointed did not provide them with a report from the state.
The state prosecutor, Advocate George Sekhukhune, agreed to the application. He stated that the trial must commence on the following day, irrespective of the availability of the ballistics report. He reasoned that it would not be prejudicial for the accused if the state started with evidence that is not tied to the ballistics expert.
A look at the pig farm murders
Olivier and his employee, William Musora, have been charged with the murder of 45-year-old Makgato and 35-year-old Ndlovu. The two were killed while collecting expired food at Olivier's farm, Onvevaght, outside of Polokwane in August 2024. Ndlovu's husband was also shot but survived the incident.
Musora reportedly found their bodies when he reported for work the next morning. The bodies were then thrown into the pigsty, where the police found them. Rudolph De Wet, Olivier's employee, was also arrested but turned state witness.
Source: Twitter
What you need to know about the farm murder
- Former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela expressed a strong opinion in August when the media refused to name the suspects even after their first appearances
- A justice advocate assisted the families of the two victims by launching a BackaBuddy campaign to assist them financially
- The suspects appeared in court in September, and they remained in jail after their case was postponed to the following month
- Olivier, Musora, and De Wet applied in October to bar the media from the case and alleged that they received death threats
- Olivier broke down in court when he appeared in November 2024, when the case was postponed due to a defence attorney's absence
SA disappointed after De Wet turns state
In a related article, Briefly News reported that Maria Makgato's family members were distraught and disappointed after one of the suspects was released. De Wet turned state witness.
Makgato's family members broke down in tears outside the court on 7 August 2025. South Africans were also disappinted.
Source: Briefly News
