ANC statement on the brutal murder of two women at a farm in Limpopo

28 August 2024

The African National Congress Women's League (ANCWL) is horrified and outraged by the barbaric and inhumane killing of two women in Limpopo, who were brutally killed by farmers who not only shot them but also committed the abhorrent act of feeding their remains to pigs.

This gruesome incident represents the worst form of gender-based violence (GBV) and is a disturbing reflection of the ongoing scourge of femicide that plagues our country.

It is alleged that the two women, aged 47 and 34, were near the farmstead when they were accosted by two men, including the farmer, who reportedly shot them and then fed them to pigs.

The two women were with a male companion who managed to escape from the attack and sought help at a nearby hospital.

We welcome the arrest of the perpetrators—farm owner Zacharia Olivier and two workers, Rudolf de Wet and William Musora—who will be appearing again in the Mankweng Magistrate's Court on the 30th of August after being remanded in custody. We expect that justice will be served swiftly and without leniency.

As the ANCWL, we stand with the families of the victims during this unimaginable time of grief and offer our deepest condolences. We cannot begin to comprehend the pain and suffering that the families are enduring, and we extend our unwavering support to them during this time.

This incident underscores the urgent need for decisive action to curb the violence against women and to ensure that the perpetrators of such heinous acts are brought to justice swiftly and without leniency. The brutal nature of these murders is indicative of the deep-rooted misogyny that continues to endanger the lives of women across the country. We cannot, and will not, accept a society where the lives of women are treated with such disregard.

The ANC Women's League calls on the Ministers of Police and Justice, as well as all law enforcement institutions, to leave no stone unturned. We demand that the courts not only reject bail but also ensure that these monsters spend the rest of their lives behind bars. Furthermore, we call on the Minister of Agriculture to act swiftly through relevant regulatory measures to ensure that farm owners do not become laws unto themselves, creating no-go zones in farmlands.

Our Bill of Rights cannot be undermined in this manner, especially as we celebrate thirty years of our hard-earned freedom. Women's rights are human rights, and we will not allow them to be violated with impunity.

The ANCWL remains committed to the fight against gender-based violence and femicide. We will continue to stand up for the rights and dignity of all women in South Africa, and we will not rest until justice is served for these victims and all others who have suffered at the hands of violent criminals.

MALIBONGWE!!!

Issued by African National Congress Women’s League, 28 August 2024