I didn’t want Pistorius in jail, says Steenkamp’s mother

June, the mother of Reeva Steenkamp, has revealed  that she did n0t want South African paralympian, Oscar Pistorius – who killed her daughter – to suffer in jail.

Speaking for the first time since her daughter’s killer was released to house arrest, Steenkamp said she didn’t want to hurt the athlete who is disabled already.

“I’ve got no feelings of revenge. I don’t want to hurt him; he is already a disabled person,” she said while addressing students at her daughter’s former school in Port Elizabeth.

“I didn’t want him to be thrown in jail and be suffering because I don’t wish suffering on anyone, and that’s not going to bring Reeva back.

“In my heart, I don’t want revenge towards him. I’m past that. Once you have told God that you forgive, you have to forgive. And I don’t want him to suffer…. I would certainly not want to hurt another human being.”

June also revealed that she had forgiven Pistorius, adding that “one has to forgive to move on, otherwise you become ill. For God expects you to forgive, and until you’ve done that, you can’t move forward in any way”.

She then read out excerpts of a speech prepared by her daughter, planned to be delivered on February 14, 2013, the day she died.

“I hope that you all had an amazing Valentine’s Day and you were spoilt with love and roses and chocolates,” she said, reading her daughter’s speech.

“Go home and tell your parents, your siblings and your neighbours that they are appreciated and you will go to bed with a happy heart and an open mind for the future.”

Pistorius shot Steenkamp through a bathroom door in the early hours of 14 February 2013 when he said he mistook her for an intruder.

He was found guilty of culpable homicide but cleared of murdering Steenkamp, he was therefore handed a five year prison time, much of which he would spend under house arrest.