Tension and heartbreak are sweeping across South Africa after a Limpopo court allowed a key suspect in a gruesome double murder case to walk free—sparking nationwide fury, especially among those still scarred by the country’s deep racial wounds.
Adrian de Wet, a 20-year-old white farm worker, was released on Wednesday after prosecutors dropped murder charges against him. He had been accused alongside two others in the horrifying 2024 killing of Maria Makgato, 45, and Lucia Ndlovu, 34—two black women allegedly shot and fed to pigs on a farm near Polokwane.
The women were reportedly scavenging for food when their lives were cut short in the most brutal fashion.
“He walked away — my sister is gone”
Outside the courtroom, grief spilled into the open. Walter Makgato, brother to one of the victims, broke down in front of cameras.
“One of the men who was there the night my sister was killed has walked away,” he said, his voice cracking. “Justice is not being served.”
De Wet is now in protective custody, as he prepares to testify against the farm owner, Zachariah Johannes Olivier, 60, who stands accused of pulling the trigger. Another farm worker, William Musora, 50, remains behind bars. Neither Olivier nor Musora has entered a plea.
De Wet claims he acted under duress—forced to help dispose of the bodies by throwing them into a pig enclosure, where the animals allegedly destroyed the remains. His testimony is now central to the state’s case.
A case exposing deeper wounds
While the legal process continues, the court’s decision has ignited something much larger than just courtroom debate.
The public reaction has been swift and visceral, with activists, citizens, and victims’ families seeing this case as a reflection of long-standing injustice. For many, it’s not just about murder. It’s about what—and who—South Africa’s justice system is willing to fight for.
“This case is not just about what happened on that farm,” said one protester outside court. “It’s about the reality of being black and poor in a country that hasn’t truly healed.”
Despite the official end of apartheid 30 years ago, the scars remain visible in places like Limpopo. Black farm workers continue to face exploitation, while land and power remain disproportionately in white hands. The release of a white suspect in the killing of two black women—especially under such grotesque circumstances—has reopened that wound.
What’s next?
The trial is set to resume on October 6, with De Wet taking the stand as a key witness. But many South Africans are watching closely, worried that justice might once again fail those without power or privilege.
For now, there’s heartbreak, rage, and a bitter question echoing across communities:
