No sign of Pistorius' family during visiting time

18 February 2013 - 18:33 By Sapa
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Oscar Pistorius leaves the court room after his hearing on charge of murdering his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. File photo.
Oscar Pistorius leaves the court room after his hearing on charge of murdering his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. File photo.
Image: AFP PHOTO / STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN

There was no sign of murder accused paralympian Oscar Pistorius' family or legal team outside the Brooklyn police station by Monday afternoon.

More than 30 journalists from local and international media houses were hoping to catch a glimpse of Pistorius' relatives before his bail application in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Tuesday.

There was no sign of them between 3pm and 4pm, which is visiting hour at the police station, where Pistorius has been kept since his first court appearance on Friday.

In a telephone interview, Pistorius' lawyer Kenny Oldwage said the legal team had seen Pistorius outside set visiting times, for consultation.

"We have access to him at all times."

Journalists have been camping outside the police station since early Monday morning.

Motorists passing the police station slowed down to look at the media on Monday. One man shouted "Oscar" from his car as he drove by.

United States television station NBC stored its equipment under gazebos opposite the building overnight and hired a security guard to keep watch.

Its journalists were seen setting up their equipment shortly before noon.

Sky News journalist Alex Crawford said the news of Pistorius' arrest had been widely reported in Britain.

"He is about the only Olympic person they [the British public] know that isn't British, apart from Usain Bolt," she said. "They are totally shocked."

Pistorius, 26, who is accused of murdering his 29-year-old girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, was arrested shortly after the fatal shooting at his Pretoria home early on Thursday morning.

On Sunday, Steenkamp's family said her body was back in her coastal hometown of Port Elizabeth. A private funeral was scheduled to be held on Tuesday.

Steenkamp was seen laughing and smiling on South African television on Saturday night when the SABC aired the first episode of a reality television show in which she was featured.

Her family said it did not oppose the broadcast because Steenkamp had wanted people to see it. A tribute to her was shown before the episode.

A fellow-contestant on the "Tropika Island of Treasure 5" show told AP Television News that Steenkamp "was always making sure everyone was OK".

"Fun, crazy, loving, beautiful, gorgeous. She really was an angel and I still haven't come to terms with what happened," said Katleho Molai.

"I haven't really eaten, I'm struggling to sleep. So it's been really hard to come to terms with what's happened to her," Molai said.

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