“JOHANNESBURG, 4 September 2026” — What was supposed to be an ordinary Sunday morning followed by a family brunch ended in unimaginable tragedy for the family of teacher Kirsten Kluyts.

Nearly three years later, the heartbreaking details of Kluyts’ final morning were again laid bare in the Johannesburg High Court sitting at Palm Ridge on Friday as the court began summarising the extensive evidence presented in the trial of Bafana Mahungela.

Mahungela has pleaded not guilty to all five charges against him.

The court has not yet delivered its finding.

But as the judge revisited the evidence, one of the most painful accounts was that of Kirsten’s mother, Heather Kluyts.

KIRSTEN LEFT HOME FOR HER SUNDAY RUN

The court heard that Kirsten left the family home at approximately 07:10 on Sunday, 29 October 2023, to participate in the weekly MyRun event at George Lea Park in Parkmore, Sandton.

It was something she regularly did.

Her mother testified that Kirsten would ordinarily complete the event and return home between approximately 08:30 and 08:45.

Her parents went to church that morning.

The plan was simple.

When they returned, the three of them would go out for a family brunch.

Kirsten never made it home.

THE PHONE CALL THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

Kirsten’s parents returned from church at around 11:00 to 11:30.

After switching on a mobile phone, the family discovered an urgent message asking them to make contact.

They were told to go to George Lea Park.

When they arrived, they met Mark Westphal in the parking area.

Kirsten’s mother wanted to know what had happened.

Initially, she was told that there had been an incident and that protocol had to be followed.

Then came the words no parent wants to hear.

Their daughter was dead.

Kirsten’s mother described the devastating moment as one in which “time and space lost definition.”

A SEARCH FOR KIRSTEN HAD ENDED IN HORROR

Earlier that morning, participants at the running event had realised Kirsten was missing after she failed to complete the event.

A search was launched.

At approximately 08:50, Kirsten’s body was discovered in dense vegetation on an embankment.

Evidence summarised by the court described the location as difficult to access and the body as partially covered.

Police and paramedics were called.

Kirsten was declared dead at the scene.

The post-mortem findings, which were admitted during the trial, recorded her cause of death as blunt-force head trauma.

The court further heard that strangulation, smothering or pressure to the neck could not be excluded.

KIRSTEN WAS PREGNANT

Adding another devastating dimension to the case, Kirsten’s mother testified that her daughter was pregnant when she died.

The court heard that Kirsten had undergone fertility treatment.

Her mother said she could see physical changes in her daughter consistent with the pregnancy.

Forensic evidence concerning DNA samples collected from a foetus extracted from Kirsten’s body was among the evidence admitted during the trial.

CCTV BECOMES CENTRAL TO THE CASE

The court also revisited extensive evidence concerning CCTV footage obtained during the investigation.

One witness testified about footage showing a male walking near George Lea Park and later appearing to throw an object resembling trousers over a fence.

Other CCTV evidence concerned a man seen near a stormwater drain.

A private investigator subsequently recovered a beige cap bearing a kangaroo insignia from a drain.

Kirsten’s mother had earlier testified that her daughter wore a distinctive beige cap with a wallaby insignia when she left home that morning.

The investigation eventually led authorities to Mahungela.

One investigator testified that when he showed Mahungela a still photograph of an individual captured on CCTV, Mahungela confirmed that the person depicted was him.

The investigating officer later arrived with police.

According to the evidence summarised in court, Mahungela again confirmed that he was the person depicted in the photograph when it was shown to him.

These are allegations and pieces of evidence being considered by the court. They do not, on their own, constitute a finding that Mahungela committed the crimes charged.

FIVE CHARGES, FIVE NOT-GUILTY PLEAS

Mahungela was charged with kidnapping, robbery with aggravating circumstances, murder, an alleged sexual offence and defeating or obstructing the course of justice.

He pleaded not guilty to all counts.

Friday had widely been anticipated as judgment day, but the court explained at the beginning of proceedings that it would largely spend the day summarising the evidence presented by the State and defence.

The judge said the evaluation of the evidence and the court’s finding would follow on the next court date.

Until that finding is delivered, Mahungela remains an accused person who has pleaded not guilty.

For Kirsten Kluyts’ family, however, Friday’s proceedings brought the court back to the Sunday morning when their lives changed forever.

Kirsten left home for a run.

Her parents went to church.

They planned to have brunch together afterwards.

She never came home.

“Follow MDNtv for continuing coverage of the Bafana Mahungela trial and the court’s eventual finding”.