June Steenkamp thinks Oscar Pistorius has turned into “the devil”.
June – the mother of model Reeva Steenkamp, who was shot dead by Paralympian Pistorius in his home, during the early hours of Valentine’s Day 2013 – has stoically been sitting in the North Gauteng High Court as the murder accused athlete faces brutal cross questioning from state prosecutor Gerrie Nel.
During a recent interview with the Mirror, June spoke about the opinion she has formed of Pistorius as she observes his behaviour in court, seeing as she never met him before he shot dead her 29-year-old daughter.
“He has an aggressive persona, he’s used to having people adore him, so it must be pretty different for him now,” she said.
“He’s been spoilt by other people, that’s why he struts around and looks superior.
“He’s gone from hero to devil.”
June further explained that she feels compelled to personally attend the hearing, firstly to honour the memory of her daughter, and secondly because she wants Pistorius to feel her presence.
She said: “I’m representing Reeva at the trial, People want to see me there. Also suddenly I’ve just got strength from somewhere and the will to be there every day, because it’s not easy.
“I’m being strong for Reeva, I have to be there. It’s hard for me to do it, but I’m representing my child. I’m there for her, as much as it’s hell for me, I know that I have to be there, I’m compelled to be there.”
Added June: “I don’t know the man [Pistorius]. All I know is what he’s done.
“He must see me there in the court, he must feel my eyes boring into him, I think it makes a lot of difference.
“I do look at him too much, maybe. I like to see how he is reacting. I can see him very clearly, even without my glasses – he’s the only one I can see, he’s right in front of me.”
June also opened up about the photograph of Reeva’s gruesome head injuries that was controversially shown in court on 9 April, and said it “wiped her out”.
“It was just horrendous, I will see that picture for the rest of my life,” she admitted.
“Until the day I die, I promise you.”
June insisted: “I don’t care what happens to Oscar, I don’t even care if he goes free.
“All I know is that he has to stand up to what he’s done and – if he has to – pay for it.
“What difference is it going to make to me if he goes to prison for 25 years or is allowed to walk free?
“No one can tell me how I should feel, and those are my feelings.
“I’m not a person who wants to punish him . I want my daughter back, but it’s never going to happen.”
“It was for him to see me, nothing to do with what I’m seeing and what I’m feeling, do you understand?
“I don’t know the man. All I know is what he’s done.
“He must see me there in the court, he must feel my eyes boring into him, I think it makes a lot of difference.
“I do look at him too much, maybe. I like to see how he is reacting.
I can see him very clearly, even without my glasses – he’s the only one I can see, he’s right in front of me.”
June winced as she recalled one particular picture during the trial that “wiped her out”.
She cannot bring herself to describe it, but said: “It was just horrendous, I will see that picture for the rest of my life.
“Until the day I die, I promise you.”
Cape Town – In an exclusive interview with Britain’s Daily Mirror Reeva Steenkamp’s mom, June, calls Oscar Pistorius “the devil”.
In another interview, broadcast on the Investigation Discovery TV channel, she says her attitude has changed since seeing him in court.
“I’m angry now when I hear the details of exactly what happened,” June told Discovery ID.
Meanwhile, the Daily Mirror has an exclusive interview in Thursday’s newspaper with June, who has been sitting stoically in court, listening to proceedings and watching Pistorius intently. The Paralympian shot and killed her daughter on Valentine’s Day last year.
He is currently on the stand in the North Gauteng High Court.
The dignified June had to watch an emotional Pistorius break down in wailing and sobbing fits over the past few days in court and had to see and listen to graphic details of how her daughter was killed. She tells the Daily Mirror that she is just praying for strength.
She says she is “trying to make it through each day, I pray a lot and don’t feel God has let me down. If you live with God you take the good with the bad. What am I praying for? Strength. I’m representing Reeva at the trial”.
‘From hero to devil’
June told the newspaper that Pistorius “has an aggressive persona”.
“He’s used to having people adore him, so it must be pretty different for him now. He’s been spoilt by other people, that’s why he struts around and looks superior. He’s gone from hero to devil”.
June says Pistorius has been “very dramatic, the vomiting and crying”. She says “my presence unnerves him. I’m sure of it. He’s answerable to me”.
“I do not know the man. All I know is what he’s done. He must see me there in the court. He must feel my eyes boring into him. I think it makes a lot of difference”.
‘I don’t want to be crying in public’
June told the Daily Mirror that she feels “very vulnerable”.
“The whole world is watching you and you don’t want people to see you when you’re in pain. I don’t want to be crying in public. I’m a private person. I like to keep my feelings to myself”.
“I’m being strong for Reeva, I have to be there. It’s hard for me to do it, but I’m representing my child. “I’m there for her, as much as it’s hell for me, I know that I have to be there, I’m compelled to be there.”
Credit Image: Gallo images
