I am the one serving a life sentence: June Steenkamp on Oscar Pistorius parole

The mother of murdered model and law graduate Reeva Steenkamp wants to focus on the foundation set up to help victims of gender-based violence, a cause her daughter had believed in, instead of the release on parole of Oscar Pistorius.

June Steenkamp said she and her late husband Barry were appreciative that the parole board had directed the former Paralympian to undergo anger management courses during his correctional service period.

On Friday, she asked: “Has there been justice for Reeva? Has Oscar served enough time? There can never be justice if your loved one is never coming back and no amount of time served will bring Reeva back.

“We, who remain behind, are the ones serving a life sentence.

“With the release of Oscar Pistorius on parole, my only desire is that I will be allowed to live my last years in peace with my focus remaining on the Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp Foundation to continue Reeva’s legacy.”

Steenkamp was widowed in September, when Barry died at the age of 80. He had visited Pistorius in prison in 2022 as part of a victim-offender dialogue process, at which he asked the “Blade Runner” to admit he deliberately opened fire on Reeva while she was hiding in the bathroom of his Pretoria home.

When Pistorius stuck to his version that he believed he had been shooting at an intruder, Barry said he and June could not grant their forgiveness.

The department of correctional services confirmed on Friday morning Pistorius had been released from prison as a parolee, saying: “He was admitted into the system of community corrections and is now at home.”

The former Paralympian is believed to be staying with his uncle and aunt at their plush mansion in Waterkloof, Pretoria.

Here is the full text of June Steenkamp's Friday statement:

February 14 2013. The day life changed forever. The day South Africa lost its hero, Oscar Pistorius, and the day Barry and I lost our precious daughter, Reeva, at Oscar’s hands.

Now, almost 11 years later, the pain is still raw and real, and my dear late husband Barry and I have never been able to come to terms with Reeva’s death, or the way she died.

Through the years Barry and I were encouraged by the love and messages of support from both friends and strangers. I wish I could thank each one personally for carrying Barry and I through these difficult years.

Part of Barry and my daily conversations were always flooded by the sorrow we felt for the parents and families of victims whose perpetrators were not brought to book. Our thoughts remained with them as they were denied any form of closure and the names of their loved ones never recognised or honoured.

It made us feel guilty to an extent, but at the same time the trauma of re-living and re-telling our story has been a huge cross for us to bear.

Whilst we remain grateful to the media, the intensity of the coverage of Oscar’s trial, imprisonment and parole has been a double-edged sword. The media interest meant the loss of our privacy and made it difficult to mourn in peace. Sadly, reports were often accompanied by verbal and emotional abuse by some members of the public — not only towards us, but also towards our deceased daughter.

It is my sincere wish, and it was Barry’s too, that people will take a moment to consider the impact of their hurtful comments. We did not choose this. We would much rather have our loving daughter alive, and laughing, with us.

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.

Oscar Pistorius’s release on parole, subject to certain conditions, has affirmed Barry and my belief in the South African justice system. The conditions imposed by the parole board, which includes anger management courses and programmes on gender-based violence, send out a clear message that gender-based violence is taken seriously.

Has there been justice for Reeva? Has Oscar served enough time? There can never be justice if your loved one is never coming back, and no amount of time served will bring Reeva back. We, who remain behind, are the ones serving a life sentence.

With the release of Oscar Pistorius on parole, my only desire is that I will be allowed to live my last years in peace with my focus remaining on the Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp Foundation, to continue Reeva’s legacy.

Lastly, I again want to thank the public who supported me through the years, the media and all the friends who stood by Barry and me. A special thank you to advocate Gerrie Nel, advocate Andrea Johnson, advocate Dup de Bruin, the investigating team, advocate Annade-Theart Hofmeyer, my daughter Simone, and Tania Koen, who has guided and protected Barry and I through the years.

Signed: June Steenkamp (also on behalf of my late husband Barry)

TimesLIVE