Online Reporter
The son of one of the two South African women shot and killed while scavenging for food then fed to pigs burst into tears as he testified how he stood on the road watching the farm where his mother went but she never appeared.
A South African High Court had to be adjourned to allow Ranti Makgato to compose himself after he became emotional as he told of his efforts to find her mother, whom unbeknown to him was lying dead in a pigsty.
Zachariah Olivier, a pig farmer and his co-accused William Musora are facing charges of murder following the killing of Maria Makgato and Lucadia Ndlovu at the former’s farm in August last year.
The two women were scavenging for food at the time that they were shot dead and later tossed into a pigsty. Ndlovu’s husband Mabutho Ncube was also shot but he survived and fled.
Testifying at the Polokwane high court, Ranti said a truck normally dumps dairy products at a farm which residents later go and pick them. It has not yet been established whether it dumps them at Olivier’s farm or just nearby.He said on the Saturday that his mother was killed, he last saw her around 2pm and left the house. When he returned around 5pm, he was told that she has gone to Kaalfontein to get the dairy products for the family.
With tears running down his face, he said while by later that night his mother was still not back, he went to bed.
“Upon realising that my mother had not returned home the following day, I called her friend who told me she was supposed to go along with her, [but] couldn’t because of time”.
He said he took a taxi and then went to a nearby market where he could see the farm. He said he stood there watching it, but his mother never appeared.
It was while Ranti was about to testify about what happened next that he burst into tears, resulting in the judge adjourning the matter.
Makgato’s mother, Moyahabo, who also became emotional during the testimony, had to be taken outside court.
Earlier in the day, Lehumo Alice Mothiba, an optometrist at Mankweng hospital, testified that she had received a call from Ncube who explained what had transpired and asked for her assistance.
With her husband in tow, she went to meet him.
“I received a call from Mabutho Ncube who told us we will meet him along the R81 road. Upon arrival he flashed at us with a torch from his phone,” she said.
She said Ncube told them she was injured and had left behind his wife who was also injured and unable to walk, along with another woman. Mothiba said Ncube appeared to have been beaten up.
From there, Mothiba, who was with her husband, drove around to check the situation.
She said; “Upon realising that we are driving in too deep and it was late at night, we decided to turn back and head to the police station”.
“Upon arrival at the Sebayeng police station, we alerted the police of the situation and they immediately called an ambulance”.
Mothiba said paramedics alerted them that Ncube was too injured and should be taken to hospital. She said it was at that point when she realised that something that looked like his intestines were hanging outside.
The trial continues. -SowetanLIVE
Mathew Masinge