The murder of trial Sandton teacher Kirsten Kluyts hit an unexpected turn after Bafana Mahungela, the student accused of her murder, notified the court that he was changing his legal representative.
The trial was ready to commence in South High Court in Johannesburg on Monday when the court heard that Mahungela will no longer be using the services of his former counsel, advocate Itumeleng Masako.
Kluyts, a teacher at Delta Park High, was killed and her body dumped on a jogging lane in George Lea Park in Sandton on October 29, 2023.
The 34-year-old had participated in an athletic event on the day of her murder but failed to finish the walk. She was also pregnant at the time.
Mahungela was arrested at a student residence in Parkmore in November 2023.
He faces charges of kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, murder, attempted rape and defeating the ends of justice.
After three failed bail applications, Mahungela remains behind bars.
The post-mortem report revealed that the cause of death was blunt-force head trauma and strangulation, and that smothering or pressure to the neck could not be excluded.
According to the State, it took approximately eight minutes to inflict those injuries and end her life.
State Prosecutor Ayanda Bakana presented two affidavits in court, one from investigating officer Sergeant Aubrey Tshisani and another one from Grant Moulder, a private security officer.
According to Tshisani’s evidence, Mahungela was at the location in Sandton at 7.35am on the day of the murder.
This timeline contradicts Mahungela’s version of events as he testified that he only arrived at the venue at 9am.
Furthermore, a picture of Kluyts taken at 8.05am participating at the event was also presented as evidence.
Tshisani said her cellphone was discovered at 8.15am by a witness.
Her body was later discovered in the bushes close to where her phone was found.
Meanwhile, Moulder's evidence supported most of Tshisani’s evidence.
Moulder relied on video footage from the neighbourhood and Sandhurst Preparatory School.
In the footage, Mahungela was captured leaving the same area where the body was found at 8.49am and wearing a different T-shirt.
Initially, he was captured in a black T-shirt and pants, but when leaving the area, he was in a blue T-shirt and holding something black in his left hand.
The blue T-shirt was the same one worn by Kluyts.
Mahungela admitted to undressing her and leaving her naked. He said he only did this to eliminate any fingerprints left because he touched her in an attempt to help her.
He later threw her clothes in a drain.
The matter has been postponed to April 23.
IOL News