Grieving Limpopo family spends first Christmas without mother

As many families across the world celebrate Christmas Day by spending time together, some are grieving the loss of their loved ones who died in 2024.

In Limpopo, the Makgato children at Sebayeng village outside Polokwane are spending their first Christmas Day without their mother.

Maria Makgato and her friend Kudzai Ndlovu were shot and killed at a pig farm at Onverwacht in August. Their remains were allegedly fed to pigs. The case sparked wide outrage across the country.

Maria Makgato’s oldest son, 22-year-old Ranti Makgato, always relied on his mother to help take care of the household.
Now, the young adult has been thrown into the position of being a breadwinner as he has to take care of his three younger siblings.

Makgato has opened a barbershop as a way to make ends meet.

Grieving son remembers mother at Christmas:

A few Christmases ago, he would have relied on his now-deceased mother to worry about buying Christmas groceries and new clothes for them.

Ranti Makgato says, “Things have changed this year, it is not like when my mother was alive. She used to do a lot of things for us at Christmas, so now that she has passed away, it means we have to try to appear like ordinary families, but it is difficult.”

Her mother, as well as another woman, Kudzai Ndlovu’s death sent shockwaves around the country. Their remains were allegedly thrown inside a pig sty.

Makgato says his mother would prepare all the feasts and gatherings associated with Christmas Day.

“She would teach us about what to do during the holidays and on Christmas, things like cooking and setting up the table for the entire family. She would also take us for outings. Now it will be difficult because we are not as experienced as she was, we are just learning and taking life as it comes.”

Pig farmer Zacharia Olivier and employees Rudolf De Wet and William Musora have since been arrested.

The trio has been remanded in custody.

“With the case, for now, all we can say is that we want to see justice prevail. That will help us heal faster because if he gets released, we will then be forced to relieve the trauma should he get released.”

Makgato’s hopes for 2025 is to enrol for a course in mechanical engineering while taking care of his siblings.