From left: William Musoro, Adrian De Wet, and Zachariah Olivier appear in Polokwane court, Sept. 10, 2024. AP
White South African Farm Owner Faces Court Over Limpopo Killings
60-year-old farm owner Zachariah Olivier, along with 19-year-old farmhand Adrian De Wet and 45-year-old William Musoro, appeared before the Polokwane High Court on Monday.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the three men are charged with two counts of murder, attempted murder, three counts of defeating the ends of justice, and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition.
The NPA confirmed that Musoro, described as a foreign national, faces additional charges under South Africa’s Immigration Act.
The suspects were not asked to enter a plea, and proceedings were adjourned to allow the court to review forensic and witness evidence.
Discovery of Decomposed Bodies in Pigsty Triggers Outrage
The case stems from an incident in August 2024 when a 45-year-old South African woman and a 35-year-old foreign national woman were reported missing after visiting the farm in Sebayeng.
Police later found their bodies in a pigsty, partially consumed by pigs. A third individual—a 47-year-old man—survived gunshot wounds and told police the group had entered the property to collect discarded dairy products.
Authorities allege the victims were shot on sight. The survivor, who identified one of the deceased as his wife and the other as their neighbor, stated they had entered the farm with no intention of theft or harm.
The discovery shocked the nation and prompted calls for justice from several advocacy groups and residents.
Rural Violence and Farm Killings Under the Spotlight
The trial has renewed attention to the broader issue of farm-related violence in South Africa. Although high-profile cases have received media coverage, such killings constitute a small fraction—just 0.2%—of the nearly 20,000 murders recorded between April and December 2024, according to police crime statistics.
Human rights organizations caution against framing these crimes through a purely racial lens, pointing to a more complex picture involving economic pressures, land disputes, and community tensions.
Nonetheless, racial elements in this case have drawn strong reactions given the historical context of land ownership and apartheid-era dispossession.
Previous Incidents Amplify Concerns Over Justice System
The Limpopo killings follow several other controversial rural murder cases. In Mpumalanga in 2023, four men were arrested for allegedly murdering three Black individuals accused of sheep theft.
And in 2017, two White farmers were convicted in the death of a Black teenager in Coligny, although their sentences were later overturned due to lack of evidence—highlighting inconsistencies in rural criminal prosecutions.
Allegations of racial targeting continue to surface despite data showing that both Black and White farmers have been victims of violence. Claims of a so-called “White genocide” promoted by some far-right groups remain widely disputed and unsupported by official data.
Survivor Testimony Central to Prosecution Case
The prosecution is expected to rely heavily on the testimony of the surviving man, whose detailed account has already informed police investigations.
Forensic evidence from the crime scene and ballistic testing of a recovered firearm will also play a key role in linking the suspects to the killings.
