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South Africa: Bafana Mahungela Found Guilty of Kirsten Kluyts' Murder
Judge Ian Cox said video evidence placed Mahungela in the park as Kluyts was killed and later found with her clothes.
On Friday, the Johannesburg High Court convicted Bafana Mahungela, 23, of murdering Delta Park High School teacher Kirsten Kluyts, finding him guilty of murder, kidnapping, attempted rape, and defeating the administration of justice.
Kluyts, who was 14 weeks pregnant, was killed on October 29, 2023, during a MyRun event at George Lea Park in Sandton; Mahungela had pleaded not guilty throughout the trial.
Prosecutors relied on CCTV footage showing Mahungela scaling a gate and disposing of the victim's clothing; the court authenticated the surveillance evidence despite his admission to stealing items to avoid implication.
Judge Cox described Mahungela's actions as a "classic example of defeating or obstructing the course of justice," and postponed the matter to October 27, 2026, for sentencing proceedings.
The National Prosecuting Authority welcomed the conviction as a significant milestone, stating the ruling provides a measure of justice for Kluyts's family, friends, and colleagues.