Oscar dominates online and print media

Newspaper headlines ranged from, “Jail Oscar” (The Citizen), to “Time’s Up for Oscar” in The Sowetan. Afrikaans daily Beeld went with “Vas of vry? (Jailed or free?), running two opposing opinions from legal experts on its front page.

The Star described the day as “Oscar’s moment of truth”, while The Times reported on “Judge Masipa’s Oscar puzzle”.

The Witness newspaper said it was “Oscar’s D-Day”, with its own “experts weighing the evidence”.

Social networking site Twitter was abuzz with comments about Oscar, cartoons and another meme showing a picture of a staunch-looking Pistorius with the words: “It’s Oscar’s 9/11 Today”.

User @Tsholophy commented: “This guy and his date choices: February 14th and now September 11. Is this the end of it?”

Reporters tweeted pictures of the scene outside court and prosecutor Gerrie Nel arriving “early as always”.

Media houses and bloggers tweeted links to analysis and comments, while journalists offered their opinions on how long Judge Thokozile Masipa would take to hand down judgment, and more opinions on how boring or exciting the day was going to be.

Talk Radio 702 tweeted a quote by criminal lawyer Tyrone Maseko, saying: “I think it should be murder, but she could be kind to him and the defence would be very lucky if she finds culpable homicide”.

The Business Day newspaper was one of a few publications ignoring the hype, giving preference on its front page to stories about restructuring at AngloGold and the value of the rand.

– Sapa