Latest news with #AdrianDeWet
BBC News
4 days ago
- BBC News
South Africa pig farm murders: Adrian de Wet walks free as he turns state witness
South Africa's state prosecutor has officially withdrawn charges against one of the farm workers accused of killing two black woman and feeding their bodies to pigs. Adrian de Wet was one of three men facing murder charges after Maria Makgato, 45, and Lucia Ndlovu, 34, were killed while allegedly looking for food on a pig farm near Polokwane in South Africa's northern Limpopo province last bodies were then alleged to have been given to the animals in an apparent attempt to dispose of the De Wet, 20, turned state witness when the trial started on Monday and says farm owner Zachariah Johannes Olivier shot and killed the two women. Mr De Wet, a supervisor on the farm, will testify that he was under duress when he was forced to throw their bodies into the pig enclosure, according to both the prosecution and his Musora, 50, another farm worker, is the third accused. He and Mr Olivier, 60, are yet to enter a plea and remain behind De Wet's lawyers say he has truthfully disclosed what transpired on the night Ms Makgato and Ms Ndlovu were killed in August 2024. Shortly after court adjourned on Wednesday, he walked out of the court as a free man and was whisked away by his lawyers, while Ms Makgato's brother Walter Makgato sobbed outside the court building. He told the BBC that the release of one of the men allegedly involved in the killing of his sister means justice will not be served. Mr De Wet will be taken into protective custody until the end of the case has caused widespread outrage across South Africa which has exacerbated racial tension between black and white people in the is especially rife in rural areas of the country, despite the end of the racist system of apartheid 30 years private farmland remains in the hands of the white minority, while most farm workers are black and poorly paid, fuelling resentment among the black population, while many white farmers complain of high crime trial is set to resume on 6 October. You may also be interested in: Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
CNN
6 days ago
- CNN
White farmer on trial in South Africa after 2 Black women allegedly murdered and their bodies fed to pigs
A White South African farm owner and two employees are facing trial over the alleged murder of two Black women who prosecutors say were shot dead for trespassing last August and their bodies fed to pigs – stoking fury in a nation already reeling from racial tensions. The women were said to have been killed by Zachariah Olivier, 60, and his workers, Adrian De Wet, 19, and 45-year-old foreign national William Musoro. The men appeared at the Limpopo Polokwane High Court on Monday, in the northern Limpopo province, a regional spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa (NPA) told CNN. The trio 'are facing two counts of murder, attempted murder, three counts of defeating the ends of justice, and possession of firearms and ammunition,' the NPA said in an earlier statement. Musoro, described by police as 'an illegal immigrant,' was additionally charged with 'contravening sections of the illegal immigration act,' a police statement said. They were not asked to enter a plea before the hearing was shifted to Thursday, NPA spokesperson in Limpopo, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, said. The men were arrested after police investigations led to the discovery of the decomposed bodies of the women 'in a pigsty on a farm in Sebayeng, outside Mankweng,' on August 20, 2024, the police statement said at the time. 'The investigation began when a 45-year-old South African woman went missing after visiting the farm on 17 August (2024), accompanied by a 35-year-old foreign national woman,' police said. 'Both women sustained gunshot wounds, and a 47-year-old foreign national man, who was with them' escaped but 'was also shot and hospitalized.' The survivor told reporters that one of the murdered women was his wife. The other woman was their neighbor. They had entered the farm to collect expired and abandoned dairy products, he said. Many South Africans outraged by the killings have called for justice for the victims. Similar murders have been recorded in South Africa in recent years. In Mpumalanga, in the country's east, four men, including a 24-year-old farm manager, are facing charges of murder and kidnapping for allegedly killing and burning the bodies of three people accused of stealing sheep last August, the NPA said. In 2019, a South African High Court handed down lengthy prison sentences to two White farmers for throwing a 16-year-old teenager out of a moving truck in Coligny, in the North West Province, for allegedly stealing sunflowers. The men were, however, acquitted two years later by a higher court, which overturned their sentencing, citing a lack of evidence. Violent crime is rife in the southern African nation of just over 60 million people, where nearly 20,000 murders were recorded between April and December last year, according to police data. Farm murders, involving both White and Black South Africans, make up a small part, about 0.2% of those killings, even though White nationalist groups make widely disputed claims of a genocide against White farmers.
CNN
6 days ago
- CNN
White farmer on trial in South Africa after 2 Black women allegedly murdered and their bodies fed to pigs
A White South African farm owner and two employees are facing trial over the alleged murder of two Black women who prosecutors say were shot dead for trespassing last August and their bodies fed to pigs – stoking fury in a nation already reeling from racial tensions. The women were said to have been killed by Zachariah Olivier, 60, and his workers, Adrian De Wet, 19, and 45-year-old foreign national William Musoro. The men appeared at the Limpopo Polokwane High Court on Monday, in the northern Limpopo province, a regional spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa (NPA) told CNN. The trio 'are facing two counts of murder, attempted murder, three counts of defeating the ends of justice, and possession of firearms and ammunition,' the NPA said in an earlier statement. Musoro, described by police as 'an illegal immigrant,' was additionally charged with 'contravening sections of the illegal immigration act,' a police statement said. They were not asked to enter a plea before the hearing was shifted to Thursday, NPA spokesperson in Limpopo, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, said. The men were arrested after police investigations led to the discovery of the decomposed bodies of the women 'in a pigsty on a farm in Sebayeng, outside Mankweng,' on August 20, 2024, the police statement said at the time. 'The investigation began when a 45-year-old South African woman went missing after visiting the farm on 17 August (2024), accompanied by a 35-year-old foreign national woman,' police said. 'Both women sustained gunshot wounds, and a 47-year-old foreign national man, who was with them' escaped but 'was also shot and hospitalized.' The survivor told reporters that one of the murdered women was his wife. The other woman was their neighbor. They had entered the farm to collect expired and abandoned dairy products, he said. Many South Africans outraged by the killings have called for justice for the victims. Similar murders have been recorded in South Africa in recent years. In Mpumalanga, in the country's east, four men, including a 24-year-old farm manager, are facing charges of murder and kidnapping for allegedly killing and burning the bodies of three people accused of stealing sheep last August, the NPA said. In 2019, a South African High Court handed down lengthy prison sentences to two White farmers for throwing a 16-year-old teenager out of a moving truck in Coligny, in the North West Province, for allegedly stealing sunflowers. The men were, however, acquitted two years later by a higher court, which overturned their sentencing, citing a lack of evidence. Violent crime is rife in the southern African nation of just over 60 million people, where nearly 20,000 murders were recorded between April and December last year, according to police data. Farm murders, involving both White and Black South Africans, make up a small part, about 0.2% of those killings, even though White nationalist groups make widely disputed claims of a genocide against White farmers.
CNN
6 days ago
- CNN
White farmer on trial in South Africa after 2 Black women allegedly murdered and their bodies fed to pigs
A White South African farm owner and two employees are facing trial over the alleged murder of two Black women who prosecutors say were shot dead for trespassing last August and their bodies fed to pigs – stoking fury in a nation already reeling from racial tensions. The women were said to have been killed by Zachariah Olivier, 60, and his workers, Adrian De Wet, 19, and 45-year-old foreign national William Musoro. The men appeared at the Limpopo Polokwane High Court on Monday, in the northern Limpopo province, a regional spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa (NPA) told CNN. The trio 'are facing two counts of murder, attempted murder, three counts of defeating the ends of justice, and possession of firearms and ammunition,' the NPA said in an earlier statement. Musoro, described by police as 'an illegal immigrant,' was additionally charged with 'contravening sections of the illegal immigration act,' a police statement said. They were not asked to enter a plea before the hearing was shifted to Thursday, NPA spokesperson in Limpopo, Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi, said. The men were arrested after police investigations led to the discovery of the decomposed bodies of the women 'in a pigsty on a farm in Sebayeng, outside Mankweng,' on August 20, 2024, the police statement said at the time. 'The investigation began when a 45-year-old South African woman went missing after visiting the farm on 17 August (2024), accompanied by a 35-year-old foreign national woman,' police said. 'Both women sustained gunshot wounds, and a 47-year-old foreign national man, who was with them' escaped but 'was also shot and hospitalized.' The survivor told reporters that one of the murdered women was his wife. The other woman was their neighbor. They had entered the farm to collect expired and abandoned dairy products, he said. Many South Africans outraged by the killings have called for justice for the victims. Similar murders have been recorded in South Africa in recent years. In Mpumalanga, in the country's east, four men, including a 24-year-old farm manager, are facing charges of murder and kidnapping for allegedly killing and burning the bodies of three people accused of stealing sheep last August, the NPA said. In 2019, a South African High Court handed down lengthy prison sentences to two White farmers for throwing a 16-year-old teenager out of a moving truck in Coligny, in the North West Province, for allegedly stealing sunflowers. The men were, however, acquitted two years later by a higher court, which overturned their sentencing, citing a lack of evidence. Violent crime is rife in the southern African nation of just over 60 million people, where nearly 20,000 murders were recorded between April and December last year, according to police data. Farm murders, involving both White and Black South Africans, make up a small part, about 0.2% of those killings, even though White nationalist groups make widely disputed claims of a genocide against White farmers.
BBC News
6 days ago
- BBC News
South African farm worker tok how dem force am to feed pigs wit dead women body
One white South African farm worker wey dey face accuse of killing two black women say im bin dey forced to feed pigs dia deadi body, according to lawyers. Adrian de Wet na one of three men wey dey face murder charges afta Maria Makgato, 45, and Lucia Ndlovu, 34, die as dem allegedly bin dey look for food for one farm near Polokwane for South Africa northern Limpopo province last year. Dem allegedly give pigs dia deadi body so dem fit hide di evidence. Oga De Wet, 20, wey be state witness wen di trial start on Monday say di owner of di farm Zachariah Johannes Olivier shot and kill di two women. Madam Makgato and Madam Ndlovu bin dey search for dairy product wey go soon expire wey dem dey leave for pigs wen dem kill dem. Oga De Wet,one supervisor for di farm, testify say im bin under duress wen im bin dey forced to throw deadi bodies inside pig cage, according to both di prosecution and im lawyer. If di court accept im testimony, dem go drop all charges against am. Di case dey make pipo vex across South Africa, e don make di racial tensions for di kontri worse. Dis tension especially for rural areas plenty, despite di end of di racist system of apartheid more than 30 years ago. Most private farmland dey owned by white minority, while most farm workers dey black and dey poorly paid, all dis issues dey fuel resentment among diblack population, while many white farmers complain of high crime rates. William Musora, 50, anoda farm worker, na di third accused. Him and Oga Olivier, 60, still neva enta a plea and dem still dey prison afta dia bail applications fail. Di three men also dey face charges of attempted murder for shooting Madam Ndlovu husband, who bin dey wit di women for di farm - as well as possession of an unlicensed firearm and defeating di ends of justice. Oga Musora, one man from Zimbabwe dey face an additional charge under South Africa Immigration Act sake of im status as an illegal immigrant. Di Limpopo High Court bin full wit supporters and relatives of di victims ahead of proceedings. Members of opposition party Economic Freedom Fighters, wey bin don tok bifor make authorities close di famr, all of dem bin dey present inside di courtroom. Dem don postpone di trial to next week.
