By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Social Development Minister Sisisi Tolashe has strongly condemned the brutal killing of a mother of four, whose body was found by the police together with two other victims at Sebayeng village in Limpopo.
South Africans were left shocked after two women, Maria Makgota, 47, and Locadia Ndlovu, 34, were brutally murdered and their alleged killers fed their bodies to their pigs.
Makgato was reported missing by her family when she did not return home and her phone was switched off. Makgato, a single mother of four was killed alongside, Ndlovu, and her husband at a farm.
The farmer and his two workers, accused of killing the women, appeared at the Mankweng Magistrate’s Court on Friday for a formal bail hearing.
Zachariah Olivier, Adriaan de Wet, and William Musoro face multiple charges, including two counts of premeditated murder, attempted murder, possession of an unlicensed firearm, and defeating the ends of justice.
Musoro also faces an additional charge for contravening the Immigration Act.
The case was postponed to 10 September for bail applications, and the accused will be remanded in custody until then.
The Minister said the incident happened as the country commemorates Women’s Month under the theme: “Celebrating 30 Years of Democracy Towards Women’s Development”.
“I am deeply saddened and disturbed by the violence and brutal killings of women, particularly, during the month of August where we expect women to be embraced, protected, and celebrated, “Tolashe said.
She said August should be the month when all South Africans celebrate women as active agents of change and social transformation. This should be done by reflecting on the achievements of women over many years, as well as their transformation and development of the past 30 years.
“This month coincides with the country’s commemoration of 30 Years of Freedom and Democracy, making this year’s Women’s Month an important juncture for collective reflection on how we have empowered and advanced the rights of women on our democratic journey.”
The Department of Social Development in Limpopo, through its social workers, conducted a visit to the home of the deceased.
It was discovered that the deceased was unemployed and supported her family through the child support grant which she received for her children.
The three of her children are attending school and the youngest is registered at an early childhood development centre. The eldest is 22 years old and employed as a casual worker at a local farm with her contract ending in December this year.
“Social workers are greatly assisting the family and an assessment of the needs of the family was conducted to determine how best they could be supported. Counselling was provided as part of the basket of psychosocial support services the department provides to victims who have suffered trauma and loss,” the Minister said.
The social worker appointed to the case will continue with psychosocial support and aftercare services.
A report will be compiled to determine a suitable person to care for the children and the family will be provided with a Social Relief of Distress grant while awaiting the post-mortem results so they can finalise the burial service of the deceased.