'Oscar must rot in jail'

AS OSCAR Pistorius fought for his freedom in the Pretoria Magistrate's Court yesterday, women outside the building called for the double amputee to be denied bail and to "rot in jail".

Among them was the Gauteng community safety MEC, Faith Mazibuko.

Minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities Lulu Xingwana said Pistorius's social standing was irrelevant.

She called for the banning of guns in homes, saying Pistorius's girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, would still be alive if there had been no gun in his Silver Woods Estate, Pretoria, home.

Pistorius is accused of the premeditated murder of Steenkamp.

"This tragedy is a vocal call to our nation to intensify gun control in order to protect the lives of women and children," Xingwana told journalists before briefly joining the protest by ANC Women's League members.

Former COPE youth leader Anele Mda said she was in court to support Steenkamp's family and would not be "quiet while Rome is burning".

She was against bail being granted to the athlete, saying Pistorius had connections all over the world.

"What guarantee do we have that he won't skip the country?"

Singer Simphiwe Dana was also there to take part in the protest.

While court proceedings were under way, Dana tweeted: "RIP Reeva, and all the women that suffered the horror of dying by a loved one's hand."

Moshe Mathe, director of Youth for Survival, said she would be upset if Pistorius were granted bail.

"We will be disappointed and we will meet to show the government what happens when alleged killers of our sisters get bail," she said.

Minister of Sport Fikile Mbalula said none of the country's sports heroes and heroines should be associated with acts of violence. He said there were still many questions to be answered but the law would take its course.

"We strongly believe that no one is above the law," he said.