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June Steenkamp might have vocalised her forgiveness for Oscar Pistorius – the boyfriend of their late daughter Reeva , who he shot and killed on Valentine’s Day 2013.
But the model’s father, Barry Steenkamp , has said he can only begin to come to terms with their tragic loss once he’s had the opportunity to question the athlete himself, face to face.
During an interview with BBC 3, scheduled after Pistorius’ verdict of culpable homicide (the equivalent of manslaughter in the UK) was read on Friday (12 September) and broadcast as part of documentary Oscar Pistorius: The Truth on Monday (15 September), he said: “Before I forgive, forgive like any forgiveness, I want to talk to him first.
“It won’t be anything nice or anything like that, but I’d like to sit down and talk to him. And I’m sure that will come about.”
“It will,” June added. “He did ask to speak to us but we weren’t ready. Quite a while ago. You don’t actually want to talk to someone that has done that to your child.”
On whether she felt justice for Reeva’s death had been adequately served by the verdict of culpable homicide , which carries a potential jail sentence of 15 years, June said: “No, definitely not. Very, very disappointed. And very sad, it’s sad, you know? Because you want that for Reeva, justice for her. She died a horrible death. A horrible, painful, terrible death. And she suffered, you know? And he shot through the door. And I can’t believe that they believe it was an accident.
“There’s never going to be closure. Especially now with this verdict. How can there be closure? She’s not coming back. We just have to try and move on with our life, you know? I’m going to build shelters for the abused women, raise money for that.”
Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in picturesShow all 33 1 /33Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius reacts to the verdict in his murder trial at the High Court in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius listens to the verdict in his trial at the high court in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Reeva Steenkamp's relatives Family members of Reeva Steenkamp react as they listen to the verdict of Oscar Pistorius at the high court in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Aimee Pistorius Aimee Pistorius (C) sister of Oscar Pistorius sits during judgement in his murder trial in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures State prosecutor Gerrie Nel State prosecutor, Gerrie Nel listens in court in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius chats to his uncle Arnold ahead of the verdict in the trial of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at the high court in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Barry Steenkamp Father of the late Reeva Steenkamp, Barry Steenkamp, sits in court at the Oscar Pistorius trial in Pretoria
AP Photo/Siphiwe Sibeko
Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Pistorius's defense lawyer Barry Roux Oscar Pistorius' Chief defence Barry Roux arrives at the High Court in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius arrives at the High Court in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures June Steenkamp June, mother of the late Reeva Steenkamp enters the Pretoria High Court
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius arrives to North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria. Judge Thokosile Masipa has ruled out murder charges, but has left it to announce whether Oscar Pistorius is guilty of culpable homicide, as the six month trial of the Olympic double-amputee sprinter comes to an end
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius cries as the judge reads out the verdict during his murder trial
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius cries in the dock during the verdict in his murder trial in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius reacts in the dock during the verdict in his murder trial in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Aimee Pistorius Aimee Pistorius, the sister of Oscar Pistorius, leaves North Gauteng High Court for a lunch break in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Lois and Arnold Pistorius Lois Pistorius and Arnold Pistorius, the aunt and uncle of Oscar Pistorius, leave North Gauteng High Court during the lunch break as Judge Thokozile Masipa considers her verdict in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Carl Pistorius Carl Pistorius, brother of Oscar Pistorius, sits in a wheel chair during Oscar Pistorius' judgement at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Protesters People protest outside the North Gauteng High court, against the abuse and murder of women, as South African Paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius attended the verdict in his murder trail in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Judge Thokozile Masipa Judge Thokozile Masipa reads her verdict during the Oscar Pistorius trial in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius sits in the dock during the verdict in his murder trial in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius stands in the dock during the verdict in his murder trial in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Pistorius's defense lawyer Barry Roux Oscar Pistorius's defense lawyer Barry Roux arrives at court in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Henke Pistorius Henke Pistorius the father of Oscar Pistorius arrives at High Court for the verdict in his son's murder trial in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Carl Pistorious Carl Pistorious, brother of Oscar Pistorious, arrives to hear the verdict of his brothers murder trial in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures June and Barry Steenkamp Reeva Steenkamp's mother and father, Barry Steenkamp (2-L) and June Steenkamp (2-R), arrive for the verdict in Oscar Pistorious murder trial in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius supporter A woman holds up a banner in support of Oscar Pistorius as he arrives at court in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius arrives at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius arrives at the High Court in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Barry Steenkamp Barry Steenkamp, father of Reeva Steenkamp, arrives to hear the verdict in the trial of Oscar Pistorius at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures June Steenkamp June Steenkamp, mother of dead model, Reeva Steenkamp, waits for Oscar Pistorius during the verdict in his murder trial in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius arrives for the verdict in his murder trial at the high court in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius arrives for the verdict in his murder trial at the high court in Pretoria
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Oscar Pistorius trial: The verdict in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius arrives at the Pretoria High Court
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“We’re not the only people in the world that are going through a crisis like this, or have been through it,” Barry, becoming tearful, added. “But I’m sure that most people will understand, you know what we’ve been through, and I’d just like it to come to an end now. And for us to carry on.”
“I wanted the truth, I don’t think we got the truth,” June concluded. “That’s the whole point. We did not get the truth.”
Pistorius is currently out on bail and will hear his sentence in Pretoria, South Africa on 13 October .
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