THE killing of two black women, allegedly shot and fed to pigs by a white farmer and two of his workers, has sparked outrage in South Africa, highlighting the persistent racial tensions still simmering 30 years after the end of apartheid.
Maria Makgato, 45, and Lucia Ndlovu, 34, were reportedly looking for food on a farm near Polokwane, Limpopo, in August when they were shot. It is alleged that their bodies were disposed of by giving them to pigs, an act that has horrified the local community.
Farm owner Zachariah Johannes Olivier, 60, along with employees Adrian de Wet, 19, and William Musora, 50, have been charged in connection with the incident. A court is currently deciding whether to grant them bail, a decision that has been met with fierce protests outside the courthouse, with many demanding the denial of bail.
The accused are also facing charges of attempted murder for allegedly shooting at Ndlovu’s husband, Mabutho Ncube, who survived and managed to call for help. Ncube says he reported the incident, leading officers to the grim discovery of the women’s decomposing bodies in a pigsty several days later.
Walter Mathole, Makgato’s brother, who accompanied officers to the scene, described the distressing sight of finding his sister’s remains partly eaten by pigs. The family says they were devastated by her killing, with her son, Ranti Makgato, expressing his grief: ‘My mum died a painful death, she was a loving mother who did everything for us. I think I’ll sleep better at night if the alleged killers are denied bail,’ he told the BBC.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) opposition party has called for the farm to be shut down, arguing that its products pose a risk to consumers. Meanwhile, the South African Human Rights Commission has condemned the killings, calling for anti-racism dialogues between affected communities.
The case has further strained racial relations in rural areas, where tensions remain high despite the end of apartheid. Groups representing farmers, who are predominantly white, say that farming communities feel under attack in a country with a high rate of crime. However, there is no concrete evidence to suggest that farmers are at greater risk than the rest of the population.
Recent incidents have added fuel to these tensions. In Mpumalanga province, a farmer and his security guard were arrested in August for allegedly murdering two men accused of stealing sheep. Their bodies were burnt beyond recognition, and the accused remain in custody while DNA analysis is conducted.
In another case, a 70-year-old white farmer from Western Cape is alleged to have driven over a six-year-old boy, breaking both his legs, for picking an orange. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has charged the farmer, Christoffel Stoman, with two counts of attempted murder and reckless driving. Political parties, including the African Transformation Movement and the Pan Africanist Congress, are now calling for the expropriation of Stoman’s farm.
The ongoing bail hearings and investigations are being closely watched, as the cases expose the fragility of racial dynamics in South Africa and the need for a broader reckoning with the legacies of its past.
