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| Reeva Steenkamp funeral: anger amid the grief | Reeva Steenkamp funeral: anger amid the grief |
| (8 days later) | |
| Reeva Steenkamp, the girlfriend of Oscar Pistorius who was shot dead at his home, was cremated at a poignant, emotional private ceremony in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, on Tuesday. Friends of Steenkamp, a law graduate and model, walked up a path to the crematorium, some holding hands or carrying flowers. Police officers stood guard at the entrance to the building. | Reeva Steenkamp, the girlfriend of Oscar Pistorius who was shot dead at his home, was cremated at a poignant, emotional private ceremony in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, on Tuesday. Friends of Steenkamp, a law graduate and model, walked up a path to the crematorium, some holding hands or carrying flowers. Police officers stood guard at the entrance to the building. |
| A hearse took Steenkamp's body to the Victoria Park crematorium for a private funeral attended by more than 100 relatives and friends. After the hour-long ceremony, which was closed to the media and where her coffin was draped in a white cloth and carried by six pallbearers, relatives stood outside and friends paid their condolences, hugging Steenkamp's parents. | A hearse took Steenkamp's body to the Victoria Park crematorium for a private funeral attended by more than 100 relatives and friends. After the hour-long ceremony, which was closed to the media and where her coffin was draped in a white cloth and carried by six pallbearers, relatives stood outside and friends paid their condolences, hugging Steenkamp's parents. |
| Her father, Barry, said: "We have to keep Reeva in our hearts forever". Steenkamp's brother Adam said: "There's a space missing inside all the people that she knew that can't be filled again. We're going to keep all the positive things that we remember and know about my sister. We will miss her." | Her father, Barry, said: "We have to keep Reeva in our hearts forever". Steenkamp's brother Adam said: "There's a space missing inside all the people that she knew that can't be filled again. We're going to keep all the positive things that we remember and know about my sister. We will miss her." |
| He added: "Everyone is sad, understandably. But at certain points we were smiling while remembering Reeva because we only have good memories of her. I think that was what we were all thinking." | He added: "Everyone is sad, understandably. But at certain points we were smiling while remembering Reeva because we only have good memories of her. I think that was what we were all thinking." |
| Her uncle, Mike Steenkamp, said: "We had planned a family get-together for December, but that didn't happen. Now we're together but there's only one thing missing." Then he broke down in tears before the cameras. | Her uncle, Mike Steenkamp, said: "We had planned a family get-together for December, but that didn't happen. Now we're together but there's only one thing missing." Then he broke down in tears before the cameras. |
| "Reeva stood against abuse against women and that stand is more powerful now. Reeva represented a world of strength and people coming out of the church are stronger." He said her father would spread her ashes during another private service to be held at a later date. | "Reeva stood against abuse against women and that stand is more powerful now. Reeva represented a world of strength and people coming out of the church are stronger." He said her father would spread her ashes during another private service to be held at a later date. |
| Amid the grief, there was also anger. Some mourners demanded punishment for Pistorius, who has admitted killing Steenkamp but denies doing so intentionally. | Amid the grief, there was also anger. Some mourners demanded punishment for Pistorius, who has admitted killing Steenkamp but denies doing so intentionally. |
| Gavin Venter, a former jockey who worked for Steenkamp's father, said: "Without a doubt he's a danger to the public. He'll be a danger to witnesses. He must stay in jail. He's already shown how dangerous he can be for what he did to Reeva." | Gavin Venter, a former jockey who worked for Steenkamp's father, said: "Without a doubt he's a danger to the public. He'll be a danger to witnesses. He must stay in jail. He's already shown how dangerous he can be for what he did to Reeva." |
| He said of Steenkamp: "She was an angel, she was so soft, so innocent. Such a lovely person. It's just sad that this could happen to somebody so good." | He said of Steenkamp: "She was an angel, she was so soft, so innocent. Such a lovely person. It's just sad that this could happen to somebody so good." |
| Bongiwe Gaxamba, 29, a former classmate, wearing the blue blazer with yellow stripes from their high school, said: "It was a total shock. It is only sinking in right now." | Bongiwe Gaxamba, 29, a former classmate, wearing the blue blazer with yellow stripes from their high school, said: "It was a total shock. It is only sinking in right now." |
| Steenkamp made a posthumous appearance last Saturday on a reality TV show in South Africa. Some criticised the broadcast as exploitative and in poor taste, although her family and friends were generally supportive. | Steenkamp made a posthumous appearance last Saturday on a reality TV show in South Africa. Some criticised the broadcast as exploitative and in poor taste, although her family and friends were generally supportive. |
| The killing of Steenkamp, 29, has highlighted South Africa's dismal record of violence against women: on average, a woman is raped every four minutes and one is killed every eight hours by her partner or relative. | The killing of Steenkamp, 29, has highlighted South Africa's dismal record of violence against women: on average, a woman is raped every four minutes and one is killed every eight hours by her partner or relative. |
| At a protest outside the Pretoria court, Troy Martens, of the ruling ANC's women's league, said: "This is not acceptable and our women need to be protected." | At a protest outside the Pretoria court, Troy Martens, of the ruling ANC's women's league, said: "This is not acceptable and our women need to be protected." |
| Steenkamp campaigned against domestic violence and had written on Twitter that she planned to join a "Black Friday" protest by wearing black in honour of a 17-year-old girl who was gang-raped and killed in South Africa two weeks ago. | Steenkamp campaigned against domestic violence and had written on Twitter that she planned to join a "Black Friday" protest by wearing black in honour of a 17-year-old girl who was gang-raped and killed in South Africa two weeks ago. |
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