The trial of pig farmer Zachariah Olivier, accused of murdering two women, continued at the High Court in Polokwane. Lead investigator Captain Phaladi Makola testified that Olivier wished to confess to the killings. The case involves the deaths of Maria Makgato and Kudzai Ndlovu in August 2024.
The High Court in Polokwane, Limpopo, is hearing the case against Zachariah Olivier, a pig farmer charged with killing Maria Makgato and Kudzai Ndlovu. The women were shot at a dumping site on Onverwacht farm outside Polokwane in August 2024, with their bodies allegedly disposed of in a pigsty.
Captain Phaladi Makola, the lead investigating officer, testified that Olivier expressed a desire to confess to the murders. Makola also stated that Olivier contacted the Sebayeng police station to report the incident. The testimony forms part of a trial-within-a-trial examining the validity of Olivier's alleged confession.
Judge Jane Ngobeni presided over the proceedings on February 26, 2026, and postponed the case to February 27, 2026, for Makola to continue his evidence. She reminded the accused, who remain in custody, of the upcoming hearing.
The trial addresses serious allegations of murder and evidence handling, with the court focusing on procedural aspects of the confession. No further details on the motive or additional evidence were presented in the session.
