- Bafana Mahungela’s court appearance for the murder of Kirsten Kluyts was postponed.
- Mahungela was accused of murdering Kluyts during a local running event.
- The state has updated the charges to a Schedule 6 offence.
Bafana Mahungela, a 21-year-old accused of murdering school teacher Kirsten Kluyts, appeared in court this morning.
Bafana Mahungela court appearance postponed
The court postponed the matter to next week.
Mahungela’s lawyer told the court that police made his client wear the same clothes Kluyts was wearing the day she died and took photos.
The state is preparing a robust case against Mahungela, with charges updated to a Schedule 6 offence.
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Mahungela was arrested at his student residence in Sandton on 26 November 2023, after police obtained CCTV footage from near the crime scene.
The surveillance footage reportedly shows Mahungela following Kluyts before both disappeared down an embankment at George Lea Park, where the teacher was participating in a local running race.
This video has become a pivotal piece of evidence for the prosecution.
Further complicating the case is Mahungela’s own testimony. In court, he admitted to encountering Kluyts’ body and removing her clothes.
He claimed he did this out of fear of being implicated due to his fingerprints and DNA on the victim.
“I didn’t want to be involved because I know [the scourge] of gender-based violence in the country. I know gender-based violence is a big thing in the country, so I didn’t want to be involved,” Mahungela stated.
How Kirsten Kluyts was murdered
Kirsten Kluyts was attacked and killed on 29 October 2023 at George Lea Park during a local running event.
She was 14 weeks pregnant at the time. Fellow runners discovered her naked body, and missing personal belongings, including her running shoes and clothes.
The post-mortem results revealed Kluyts suffered blunt force trauma, strangulation, and pressure to the neck.
The prosecution’s narrative positions Mahungela not only as the murderer but also implicates him in robbery and rape charges, which he has denied.
The state alleges Kluyts was hit with a blunt object, smothered, and strangled.
The ongoing investigation and court proceedings will likely continue to attract attention as more details emerge and the state builds its case against Mahungela.
