Reeva Steenkamp's mum feared husband wouldn't survive Oscar Pistorius jail visit
Reeva Steenkamp's parents have discussed meeting their daughter's murderer Oscar Pistorius behind bars for life amid the 10th anniversary of her death.
Barry and June Steenkamp appeared on Good Morning Britain from their home in South Africa on Tuesday, a decade on from the 2013 Valentine's Day killing of Ms Steenkamp.
Speaking with Ed Balls and Ranvir Singh in the ITV studio, the mourning couple described the tense jail visit to see Pistorius, who has served half his 13 years and five months sentence.
The former Paralympic sprinter shot his girlfriend, four times, dead, claiming he mistook her for a burglar at his Pretoria, South Africa, home. If he is granted parole he could walk free in a matter of weeks.
Mr Steenkamp said he was sure Pistorius felt ‘remorse’ for shooting his daughter, but said he had not received the answers he had hoped for during the prison visit.
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Barry and June Steenkamp appeared on Good Morning Britain (ITV)“When I went and met Oscar, I asked him questions,” said Mr Steenkamp. “That we wanted to know the truth we feel. The truth is that he actually killed her out of anger.
“I didn’t get the answers that I wanted. So, it could have taken us the whole day but in the end it was shortened by me saying we aren’t getting the answers that we want. And we’ll leave it at that. Now only Oscar knows the true story.”
He went on to describe reading out a heart-breaking letter from Ms Steenkamp’s mother, June, who had decided not to attend the meeting.
Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp (AFP/Getty Images)Mr Steenkamp said Pistorius became emotional over the letter, adding: “It was really traumatising for myself and also for June that wasn’t there. She couldn't wait for me to get home and find out what had gone on.”
Mrs Steenkamp said the ordeal was very stressful for her husband, who has been ill lately, as she said: “We were all worried about him and if he would survive that whole conversation. It was very tiring.
“I wrote a letter to him because I was actually afraid of what I would do. I didn’t know how I would react and because of that I decided not to go.
The couple described the tense jail visit to Pistorius (ITV)“I wrote a letter for Oscar that he had taken the most precious thing we got from God and all the things he had taken away from me – a grandchild, Reeva's wedding, her wedding dress, she would never be able to do her law degree. Everything he had taken away from us.”
Since he refused to admit to them that he deliberately shot his girlfriend of two months, the couple said they are vehemently opposed to his early release.
Speaking about their late daughter, Mrs Steenkamp emotionally said: “We just love her so much and miss her. Part of our life is gone. We’ll see her one day. That’s something to look forward to.”
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