By Palesa Matlala
- CCTV footage shown in court appears to show a man wearing the same blue top as Kirsten Kluyts leaving George Lea Park shortly after she was killed in October 2023.
- The Johannesburg court appointed an independent image analyst to confirm the footage is authentic and examine the detail after Bafana Mahungela denied being the man in the video.
A court-appointed image analyst is expected to examine CCTV footage that appears to show murder accused Bafana Mahungela leaving George Lea Park wearing the same blue top as his alleged victim.
Pregnant teacher Kirsten Kluyts was wearing a blue running top when she was killed at the park in October 2023. The CCTV footage, presented as state evidence, shows a man in a matching blue top leaving the park shortly after her death. A witness told the court she studied the footage for hours and is certain the man is Mahungela.
“The nose, mouth and eyes of the person are the same as those of the accused standing here,” she said.
Mahungela denied it. He challenged the witness in cross-examination, asking whether she had ever mistaken a stranger for someone she knew in a shopping centre. She held her ground. The court then appointed an independent analyst to confirm the footage is authentic and that the detail is as clear as the witness claims.
The analyst’s findings are expected when the trial resumes this week.
Kluyts, who was 14 weeks pregnant, was found dead near an embankment in the park after taking part in a parkrun. Her body was discovered hidden among bushes with her clothing removed. Her killing drew widespread public attention and triggered a major police investigation.
A senior security officer also testified. He said he found flattened grass and signs of a struggle at the scene. He told the court he heard a woman scream and saw what appeared to be a woman’s knee and elbow through the trees.
Judge Ian Cox postponed the matter to 8 June. Two more witnesses are expected to testify.
Pictured above: Murder accused Bafana Mahungela in the dock at the Johannesburg High Court.
Image source: Supplied
