A farmer reportedly murdered two black women and fed their remains to pigs to hide the evidence

A South African farmer and his employees are facing serious charges for allegedly murdering two black women and feeding their bodies to his pigs so as to destroy evidence.

Maria Makgatho and Locadia Ndlovu were reportedly shot dead in August after raiding a pig farm owned by 60-year-old Zachariah Johannes Olivier in northern Limpopo province.

According to the BBC, a dairy company dropped off some potentially expired goods at Olivier’s farm, so Makgatho, 45, and Ndlovu, 34, broke in in an attempt to get the dairy products. After they were found on the property, they were shot and their bodies fed to pigs.

Ndlovu’s husband accompanied the two women to the farm and was also shot, but managed to crawl out and escape the carnage to call for help. After reporting the incident to the local police, the authorities found the women’s bodies in the pigsty a number of days after the murder.

Makgatho’s brother told the BBC that he was with officers when the bodies were found and saw that his sister’s body had been partially eaten.

Now Olivier, his farm manager Andrian Rudolph de Wet, and farmworker William Musora face two counts of premeditated murder – one among attempted murder and the other of possessing a firearm with out a license.

Many South Africans imagine the murders have escalated racial tensions based on two other incidents that recently occurred on farms. Another farmer and his helper were arrested in August on suspicion of murdering two men they accused of stealing sheep. The victims’ bodies were burned beyond recognition in an attempt to hide the evidence.

In one other case, a 70-year-old farmer is accused of running over a 6-year-old boy and breaking each his legs for stealing an orange.

Olivier, 19-year-old de Wet and 20-year-old Musora haven’t yet submitted their applications and their bail hearing has been adjourned until November 6.

“My mother died a painful death, she was a loving mother who did every thing for us. Thanks to her, we didn’t lack anything,” Makgato’s eldest son told the BBC. “I feel I’ll sleep higher at night if the alleged killers are denied bail.”

Some political parties are calling for Olivier’s farm to be closed or taken over by the government. The South African Human Rights Commission condemned the incident and called on affected communities to engage in anti-racism discussions as the case unfolds.