Three men accused of killing two women and feeding their bodies to the pigs are back in court this morning. Farm owner Zachariah Olivier (60), his two employees, William Mosora (40) and Rudolph De Wet (19), will re-appear in the Mankweng Magistrates Court, to apply for bail.

CHARGES

The suspects are facing premeditated murder, attempted murder, and possession of unlicensed firearms and ammunition charges. Musora, a Zimbabwean national, is facing an extra charge of violating the Immigrant Act. The court heard that the men allegedly killed 45-year-old Mariah Makgato and 34-year-old Lucia Ndlovu, who entered the Onvervaght Farm in Sebayeng outside Polokwane to collect food that had been dumped by a truck on 17 August. The accused allegedly fired several shots at the victims, killing Ndlovu and Makgatho while Ndlovu's husband Mabutho Ncube was injured and managed to crawl to the road to seek help. According to NPA Limpopo spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, Musora discovered the women's bodies the next day and alerted Olivier and De Wet. The three suspects then allegedly proceeded to remove the two deceased bodies from where they had died and dumped them into a pigsty. "The pigs then started consuming one of the deceased's bodies on the upper part. It is alleged that Olivier cut the firearm used in the murder and disposed of it along the R80 road. The accused did not report the incident until 20 August,' Malabi-Dzhangi said.

MINISTER AND PREMIER TO ATTEND PROCEEDINGS

Police Minister Senzo Mchunu condemned the murders and said he hoped that the court would recognise the gravity of this situation during the bail application. The minister said granting bail to the suspects would undermine the severity of their alleged crimes and threaten public safety. "We will continue to do everything we can to support the ongoing investigation and bring closure to those affected by this tragedy,' he said. Minister Presidency for Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga and Limpopo Premier Phophi Ramathuba will attend the court proceedings today. The South African Human Rights Commission, the Commission for Gender Equality, and the members of civil society in Limpopo will join the minister and premier in court.