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June Steenkamp, the mother of slain model Reeva Steenkamp, has reignited a painful saga by accusing Oscar Pistorius of responsibility not only for her daughter’s 2013 murder but also for the 2023 death of her husband, Barry Steenkamp.
Speaking on Mother’s Day 2025, a time when families celebrated, June, now 78 and recovering from a September 2025 stroke, vowed to see the former Paralympian back in prison. Her emotional plea, delivered with a frail voice but fierce determination, has stirred South Africa, reopening wounds from a case that shocked the nation. Can June’s claims hold up, or is this a grieving mother’s cry for justice?
Reeva Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model and law graduate, was fatally shot by Pistorius on Valentine’s Day 2013 in his Pretoria home. Pistorius, then a global sports icon known as the “Blade Runner” for his carbon-fiber prosthetics, fired four hollow-point bullets through a locked bathroom door, claiming he mistook Reeva for an intruder.
Initially convicted of culpable homicide in 2014, his charge was upgraded to murder in 2015 after an appeal, resulting in a 13-year, five-month sentence. Released on parole in January 2024 after serving nearly nine years, Pistorius now lives with his uncle in Pretoria and recently competed in a Durban Ironman triathlon, signaling a return to public life.
June’s accusations center on Barry’s death at 80, which she attributes to a “broken heart” caused by Pistorius’s actions. Barry, a horse trainer, died in his sleep on September 14, 2023, after a decade of declining health following Reeva’s murder. June alleges the emotional toll of losing Reeva, compounded by Pistorius’s refusal to admit guilt, drove Barry to his grave.
In a 2022 prison meeting, Barry confronted Pistorius, seeking a confession, but left believing he was lied to, a moment June says haunted him. “Oscar took my daughter and my husband,” June declared in a May 2025 interview, insisting Pistorius’s “pathetic” intruder story masks a deliberate act fueled by anger.
June’s call for Pistorius’s re-arrest hinges on her belief that his parole, granted after serving half his sentence, fails to deliver justice. She points to text messages Reeva sent weeks before her death, expressing fear of Pistorius’s temper, as evidence of his volatile nature.
These messages, revealed during the 2014 trial, included Reeva writing, “I’m scared of you sometimes and how you snap at me.” June, supported by the Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp Foundation, which fights gender-based violence, argues Pistorius remains a threat, especially to women. Her recent stroke, leaving her barely able to speak, has intensified her resolve, with the Foundation raising R50,000 for her recovery.
Public reaction is polarized. Supporters, moved by June’s frail yet defiant stand, demand accountability, with some on social media calling Pistorius’s parole a “mockery of justice.” Others question whether Barry’s death, attributed to natural causes, can legally be tied to Pistorius.
Legal analysts note that proving Pistorius’s indirect responsibility for Barry’s death is a steep challenge without concrete evidence, and the Department of Correctional Services reports he’s complying with parole conditions, including anger management therapy. Pistorius, now 38, has stayed silent, with his legal team focusing on his rehabilitation, including church volunteer work.
The Steenkamps’ pain resonates amid South Africa’s broader struggles with loss and justice, from Zahara’s family disputes to Tebogo G Mashego’s ordeal in Nigeria. June’s campaign, fueled by memories of Reeva’s “beautiful heart” and Barry’s unhealed wounds, keeps the spotlight on a case that defined a nation’s reckoning with fame, violence, and accountability. Whether her fight will lead to Pistorius’s return to prison remains uncertain, but June’s unwavering voice ensures Reeva’s legacy endures, demanding answers in a story far from over.
