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By Citizen Reporter

Journalist


Reeva Steenkamp’s parents supported at court

A bouquet of red roses lay at June Steenkamp's feet at the High Court in Pretoria ahead of judgment in Oscar Pistorius's murder trial.


“I’m here to support Reeva’s mom. I promised her I will be here for her,” said Busi Khumalo, whose 18-year-old daughter Zanele was strangled and raped in 2011.

“We hope justice will be done today. Pain like this never goes away. We hope these boys change. They should be taught from a young age how a woman should be treated because women die everyday.”

June was with her husband Barry Steenkamp.

Friends and family of the Steenkamps were in court to support the family, along with the ANC Women’s League.

“We expect that justice should be done,” said ANCWL Gauteng spokeswoman Jacqui Mofokeng said.

” All of us want closure on the matter. We just need justice to prevail. A gun is not bouquet of flowers, it must be used responsibly.”

Pistorius’s brother Carl Pistorius arrived at around 8.45am in a wheelchair sporting a grey suit. Both his legs were in a cast. Media circled him to get photographs.

He was pushed through the media, accompanied by around four men.

Judge Thokozile Masipa was expected to start handing down judgment in the case at 9.30am.

Pistorius said he thought an intruder was behind the door of the toilet in his Pretoria home when he shot through it. He fired four times, killing his girlfriend Steenkamp on February 14, 2013.

The State says the murder was premeditated.

When the trial started on March 3, Pistorius pleaded not guilty to the murder charge, and to three firearm-related charges.

Sapa

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