The case of two black women allegedly shot and fed to pigs by a white farmer and his workers has sparked widespread outrage in South Africa, BBC reports on Wednesday.
Maria Makgato, 45, and Lucia Ndlovu, 34, were reportedly searching for food on a farm near Polokwane in Limpopo province when they were shot in August.
Their bodies were then allegedly fed to pigs in an attempt to conceal the crime.
The court is currently deciding whether to grant bail to the farm owner, Zachariah Johannes Olivier, 60, and his two employees, Adrian de Wet, 19, and William Musora, 50, as they await trial for murder.
None of the men have entered a formal plea yet.
BBC reports that protests erupted outside the courtroom in Polokwane, with demonstrators holding placards and demanding that the suspects be denied bail.
Inside the courtroom, families of the victims and the accused filled the benches as magistrate Ntilane Felleng allowed media coverage, citing public interest in the case.
The bail hearing was postponed to November 6, 2024, to allow for further investigations, meaning the three suspects will remain in custody.
Makgato’s brother, Walter Mathole, told the BBC that this incident has reignited racial tensions between black and white communities, particularly in rural areas.
Despite the end of apartheid 30 years ago, deep divisions remain in some parts of the country.
