Civic organisations say the murders of two women whose bodies were fed to pigs after they were killed at a farm in Limpopo show that racism and poverty are still a problem.
Farmer Zachariah Olivier, 60, and two of his employees, Rudolph de Wet, 19, and William Musora,45, are charged with two counts of murder, attempted murder, defeating the ends of justice, and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. They made a brief appearance in the Polokwane regional court.
Musora is also facing a charge of contravention of the Immigration Act. The decomposing bodies of Maria Makgato, 47, and Lucia Ndlovu, 34 were found in a pigsty in Onverwacht farm owned by Olivier near Kotishing village in Limpopo.
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 road outside Polokwane where he sought help.
South African National Civics Organisation (Sanco) Capricorn Region spokesperson Nomonde Sivhabu said they would support the families and ensure the alleged perpetrators were denied bail.
Sivhabu said that people had to resort to collecting expired dairy products intended as pig feed reflected the level of poverty in communities.
Tawana Ndou, Ndlovu’s brother said his family was still reeling with shock and struggling to accept that their sister was brutally murdered.
He said the family hoped the accused would not be granted bail. “My sister left four children and we are struggling to make ends meet.
“It’s difficult to get money to buy napkins for the two children who are between the ages of one and two,” he said.
He added that Ndlovu’s partner who is also unemployed couldn’t attend the proceedings on Wednesday as he was in Zimbabwe sorting out his passport. Ndou said he had visited Ncube in hospital after the ordeal.
“Ncube said [while in hospital at the time] he left his wife while she was still alive at the farm. He spoke to her when she was shot in the leg but when they tried to run she couldn’t and was unable to reach the main road.
“He managed to flee to the main road [R81] and phoned someone who came and rescued him and took him to hospital. When he arrived at hospital he didn’t know that his wife was dead. He thought his wife was still alive and probably in hospital.
“When I went to the hospital to visit him the police came and picked me up and that’s when I went to the farm and found my sister in a pigsty,” he said.
He said going to court was painful and a constant reminder of what had happened.
Regina Mudzunga from the South African Council of Churches told supporters gathered outside the court on Wednesday that the killing of black women was the worst form of racism.
“There should be no bail for people who don’t regard us as human beings. Maybe there are more perpetrators and I can’t believe we have been eating our own flesh because they were selling this bacon which we ate,” she said.
Phathu Luvhengo
www.timeslive.co.za
