Ubuntu in Germany Column

Oscar is guilty of murder and so a worldwide chapter closes

(Editor: Alex Smit-Stachowski is a South African journalist and speaking in her column about the country of her birth. She had lived in Krefeld, in North Rhine-Westphalia/ Germany).

The Oscar Pistorius trial has been intertwined in my life since it began – I posted on Facebook on Valentine’s Day 2013 saying crime drove him to it (not knowing the whole story), discussed it with colleagues while watching the trial live from a work laptop in Germany and listened to the first verdict while packing for South Africa. Now I am working in Johannesburg as the second verdict delivers true justice. Small world…

© Oscar Pistorius now found guilty of murder, as seen from South Africa.

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Ubuntu in Germany Column

And the Oscar goes to….

(Editor: Alex Smit-Stachowski is speaking in her column about life as a South African now living in Germany. The South African journalist lives in Krefeld, in North Rhine-Westphalia/ Germany).

Valentine’s Day in 2013 dawned with the shocking news that the lithe, disabled sportsman, Oscar Pistorius had shot his blonde model girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp dead while claiming he thought she was a robber out to hurt him. I wrote about the German media coverage at the time – now a year later, Europeans and ex-pats are glued to their TV sets or radios to keep up with the live trial.

© Posed picture – In real-life I only listen to the live trial, while working frantically. Watching telly like this would be very dangerous for anybody during work hours! Totally impossible to watch and work – although it seems a few friends on Facebook are managing to do this.