Reeva Steenkamp’s mum reveals reason she believes Oscar Pistorius shot her daughter as she speaks out on his parole
10 January 2024, 15:26
The mother of murdered Reeva Steenkamp has spoken out in her first TV interview since the release of her daughter's killer.
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Oscar Pistorius was released from prison on parole last week, nearly eleven year years after murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
The Paralympics champion shot Ms Steenkamp several times through a bathroom door in 2013 in their home in Pretoria, South Africa.
He later claimed he had mistaken his partner for a burglar.
Now Ms Steenkamp's mother June has spoken out in her first TV interview since the killer’s release, saying she believes “his temper” was the reason he murdered her daughter.
She told Good Morning Britain: “He knew she was in the toilet because they had had a huge argument.
“He lost his temper, he's got no control over his temper and he lost his temper because she (Reeva) said, 'I'm leaving I don't want to be involved with you,' her clothes were packed ready.”
She also said she believes the killer’s version of events was a "pathetic story" that was "thought up" by somebody else.
Pistorius, now 37, was convicted of murder in 2015 and sentenced to over 13 years in prison.
Under South African law, prisoners are entitled to be released on parole halfway through their sentence.
“He's never told the truth, I don't believe he's told the truth at all, and he's never shown any remorse so I have to accept that the law must take its course and that's what Barry and I did,” Ms Steenkamps's mother added.
“With him coming out, he has to come out, it's inevitable. I realise that. We can't keep him inside, he's on parole now, it's not going to make any difference to my life."
Pistorius will live under strict conditions until his prison term expires in 2029. Those include a requirement that he stays at home for most of the day and does not speak to journalists.
He will also need to avoid drinking alcohol, as well as undertake anger management therapy and gender-based violence programmes.
Ms Steenkamp's mother June said in a statement: "We have always known that parole is part of the South African legal system, and we have always said that the law must take its course."
A prison spokesperson said: "Parole does not mean the end of the sentence. It is still part of the sentence.
"It only means the inmate will complete the sentence outside a correctional facility."
It is believed the killer is staying at his uncle’s £2m mansion while he serves the rest of his sentence on parole.
