South Africa: Pig farm murder trial resumes in Polokwane court

On Tuesday, 7 October 2025, the gruesome trial of pig farmer Zachariah Olivier and his employee William Musora resumed before the Polokwane High Court. The case has rattled the nation for its shocking allegations: that two women were shot and their bodies fed to pigs to conceal the crime.

Earlier in the week, the State formally withdrew charges against one co-accused, Adriaan Rudolph De Wet, after he agreed to testify under South Africa’s Section 204 procedure. De Wet now faces prosecution drop only if the court finds his testimony “frank and honest.”

During prior proceedings, De Wet claimed he was coerced by Olivier to dispose of the victims’ bodies in a pigsty following the shootings.livier and Musora deny responsibility.

The victims, reportedly scavenging for expired dairy products on Olivier’s farm near Polokwane, are identified as Maria Makgato and Lucia Ndlovu. A third person—Ndlovu’s husband—was allegedly shot at during the incident but survived.

In light of De Wet’s forthcoming testimony, Olivier’s defence has requested a postponement to complete investigations of the newly raised evidence. The court is expected to hear the case between 6 and 17 October.

The trial has drawn widespread attention and outrage, highlighting long-standing tensions around rural justice, racial inequality, and farmworker rights in South Africa.