Reeva Steenkamp's mother says prosecutors' bid to get a harsher sentence for Oscar Pistorius 'doesn't matter' as she launches domestic violence foundation - Prosecutors were allowed to appeal Pistorius' verdict for 'negligent killing'
- His deceased girlfriend's mother doesn't care if he gets murder conviction
- But June Steenkamp knew nothing about her killer's 'guns and way of life'
- She does not want 'revenge' on Pistorius for killing Reeva in February 2013
- Launching foundation in her daughter's name to stop domestic violence
By Jay Akbar For Mailonline
Published: 17:01 GMT, 10 March 2015 | Updated: 07:48 GMT, 11 March 2015
Reeva Steenkamp's mother says she does not care if an upcoming appeal leads to a harsher sentence for Oscar Pistorius, the South African athlete who killed her.
He was convicted of 'negligent killing' in September 2014 which carries a maximum five-year prison sentence - but prosecutors believe he should be charged with the more serious crime of murder.
The Olympian's lawyers will this week challenge the judge's decision to allow prosecutors to appeal his conviction for killing Reeva at his home in Pretoria on Valentine's Day in 2013.
His deceased girlfriend's mother June is not seeking revenge against the disabled athlete but says she knew nothing 'about Oscar's guns and his way of life' and criticised her daughter's portrayal during the case.
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Legal experts said it was unlikely that Pistorius would now be released on house arrest after serving just ten months of his sentence as he had previously hoped.
His former girlfriend's mother has now urged women to speak out about their own abuse - telling the audience at the University of Johannesburg: 'Teach your daughters to have the confidence to come forward.
Her foundation will do the work her daughter would have done if she had still been alive, said Mrs Steenkamp.
She revealed that her daughter had been 'preoccupied' with the unacceptable numbers of rape and murders reported in her native South Africa.
It was reported earlier this month that Oscar Pistorius is so paranoid about being poisoned in prison that he is reportedly surviving on tinned food from the tuck shop.
The Paralympic star, who was jailed four months ago for killing his girlfriend has lost so much weight that his prosthetic limbs no longer fit him, according to South Africa's You Magazine.
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