- Bafana Mahungela appeared in the Gauteng High Court on Monday for the murder of pregnant teacher Kirsten Kluyts in Sandton.
- The court put the trial on hold after lawyers from the state and defence fought over two potential court witnesses.
A 23-year-old man accused of raping and killing a pregnant teacher appeared in the Gauteng High Court on Monday.
Bafana Mahungela faces charges of murder, attempted rape, kidnapping and robbery. He pleaded not guilty to all charges and says he is innocent.
He is accused of killing 34-year-old Kirsten Kluyts on 29 October 2023. She was a teacher at Delta Park High School and was 14 weeks pregnant at the time of her death.
Kluyts was killed during a jogging event at George Lea Park in Sandton.
The court was meant to hear more evidence on Monday. But lawyers started arguing over court orders and legal standing, which slowed down the case.
The state lawyer was ready to go ahead. But the defence lawyer fought an application linked to two possible witnesses.
The defence argued that the correct legal rules were not followed. They also said the state lawyer did not have the right to bring the application.
The state agreed that they did not have the right instructions for that specific application and asked to push the case back. But prosecutors still wanted the main trial to continue.
The defence fought back against this plan. They said going ahead without talking to key witnesses would be unfair to Mahungela and hurt his right to a fair trial.
The judge ruled that the main trial will go ahead. The judge pointed out that the fight is about a witness who has already given evidence.
Mahungela was kept in jail. He will return to court on 15 April 2026.
On that day, the court will decide whether to go ahead with the case or let the 23-year-old go free.
Pictured above: Bafana Mahungela.
Image source: Palesa Matlala
