Limpopo Farmer and Workers to Stand Trial for Murder and Grisly Disposal of Victims

The trial of Limpopo farmer Zachariah Johannes Olivier and his two workers, accused of murdering two women and disposing of their bodies in a pigsty, has been scheduled for August 2025.

Accused Face Multiple Charges in Heinous Crime

Olivier, along with farm supervisor Rudolph de Wet and farmworker William Musora, a Zimbabwean national, faces charges including two counts of premeditated murder, attempted murder, obstruction of justice, and possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. Musora is also charged with contravening the Immigration Act.

The three men remain in custody after De Wet and Musora abandoned their bail applications last year. According to National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzangi, investigations have been completed, and the accused have been served with an indictment. Their trial will take place from August 4 to August 15, 2025, at the High Court in Polokwane.

Shocking Details of the Attack

The gruesome crime took place at Onvervaght Farm, where 47-year-old Mariah Makgato and 34-year-old Kudzai Ndlovu were fatally shot. Ndlovu’s husband, Mabutho Ncube, who was also attacked, miraculously survived. The victims had entered the farm to collect expired goods discarded by a commercial truck when they were ambushed.

Ncube, who sustained serious gunshot wounds, recounted the horrifying ordeal.

“The first shot was fired into the air. The second bullet hit me, the third struck Mariah, and the fourth hit my wife,” Ncube recalled after being discharged from the hospital.

Despite his injuries, he attempted to assist his wife but was unable to do much due to the severity of his own wounds.

Survivor’s Painful Discovery

Ncube managed to reach the main road, where an associate took him to the police station. He was later rushed to the hospital, where doctors discovered that his intestines were exposed due to the gunshot wound.

While receiving medical care, he initially believed his wife was recovering in another hospital ward. Days later, he was devastated to learn that her body, along with Makgato’s, had been found in the farm’s pigsty.

“I did not expect that to happen. All this time, I thought my wife was in the women’s ward in the hospital. That hurt me so much,” he said.

Authorities continue to investigate the case as the accused await trial.

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