Bail application for farmer accused of killing women, throwing bodies into pigsty could not proceed

The bail application of Limpopo farmer Zachariah Olivier, 60, accused of killing two women and throwing their bodies into a pigsty, could not proceed on Friday due to the unavailability of an advocate.

Olivier was expected to apply for bail in the Polokwane regional court. Limpopo National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mashudu Malabi Dzhangi said they could not proceed due to the unavailability of the advocate who was supposed to deal with the bail application on behalf of the defence.

The matter has been postponed to February 18 2025 for Olivier to join the other two accused, Rudolph de Wet and William Musora, in the Mankweng magistrate's court.

The trio are charged with two counts of murder, attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. Musora also faces a charge of contravention of the Immigration Act.

They were arrested after the decomposing bodies of Maria Makgato, 47, and Lucia Ndlovu, 34, were found in a pigsty at a farm in Sebayeng outside Mankweng.

The bodies were found with bullet wounds.

TimesLIVE previously reported Ndlovu’s partner Mabuto Ncube, who was with the women when they went to the farm to collect expired yoghurt, survived the ordeal. He was shot once but managed to flee from the farm to the R81 outside Polokwane where he sought help.

TimesLIVE