MONEY TALKS
Reeva's parents cash in on interviews
SOFT-SPOKEN: Barry Steenkamp, whose health is fragile, appears to live a low-key life FORGIVING: Unlike her husband, June Steenkamp, centre, has attended the Pistorius trial with relatives HORSEY PUB: The Steenkamps’ bar in Port Elizabeth, where you can buy kudu medallions for R40 REEVA Steenkamp’s dad trains horses from modest stables on a smallholding. Her mom runs a little eatery — not the swanky kind.
And they drive cars that no one could even begin to describe as flashy, not even in Greenbushes on the outskirts of Port Elizabeth.
If talk of them being instant millionaires, thanks to several paid-for interviews with foreign media houses, are true, they are hiding their new-found riches well.
Tracked down at the stables on Thursday, a soft-spoken Barry Steenkamp said that he would probably make his first appearance in court this week.
Barry has not once attended proceedings at the High Court in Pretoria where Oscar Pistorius is on trial for the murder of his daughter.
Because of his state of health, the Steenkamps have been represented at the trial by Reeva’s mom, June, and other family members.
On Thursday morning he said: “I am 90% certain I will be in court next week.”
Final arguments are due to be delivered in court on Thursday and Friday.
Asked for an interview, Barry said all requests had to be made through their legal representative, Dup de Bruyn.
By now it’s well known that the Steenkamps don’t do interviews for free — and not unless De Bruyn has given the green light.
In one instance a friend of Reeva’s, Gwyn Guscott, asked the Sunday Times to refrain from publishing a heart-felt letter she had penned: “I’m under contract,” she said.
In South Africa, so-called “chequebook journalism” is frowned upon, opening the door for foreign media to land “exclusives” with the Steenkamps.
Local magazines You and Huisgenoot are the exception to that rule — they are the only publications to have featured
Figures of R500 000 have been touted, and rumours that American media forked out $100 000
“exclusive” interviews with the family.
De Bruyn confirmed that the Steenkamps would not be giving an interview. “They are under contract,” he said on Friday.
Asked if these were contracts with media houses, including the much sought-after interviews once judgment is delivered in the murder trial, he said: “Yes, among other things.”
While a top advocate like De Bruyn could easily earn up to R40 000 per day in court, he said he was working for the Steenkamps pro bono.
De Bruyn has been a regular sight in court, sitting close to June while following the trial.
Last year the Steenkamps indicated they would institute a civil claim against Pistorius, which could have been as high as R3-million.
De Bruyn said the claim had not been instituted, saying: “We will wait and see what happens in the criminal matter first.”
How much the Steenkamps are being paid for interviews is something that De Bruyn won’t reveal.
But figures of R500 000 an interview, and some instances where American broadcasters are rumoured to have forked out as much as $100 000 (about R1.1million) for access to Barry and June, have been touted.
On a visit to their neighbourhood, there is little sign of new money. But there is talk. Said a local bar lady: “They are making lots of money with the media. It’s always with the guys from overseas, they come here and they pay big bucks to sit down with them.”
It has never been a secret that the Steenkamps were not financially well off. Reeva paid for their DStv connection to be restored and helped support her parents.
Barry now has stables for the horses he trains on a modest smallholding opposite the Fairview racecourse and works from a barn on the property, where he sits behind an old wooden desk. June is mostly responsible for running the couple’s pub and restaurant, called The Barking Spider, nearby. It’s a modest setting where horseracing memorabilia and photographs of Marilyn Monroe hang on the walls.
At R40 for kudu medallions with garlic sauce and chips, it’s not the type of business that will result in overnight riches.
And June has made it clear her flights to Gauteng to attend the trial were being sponsored by the ANC Women’s League, which has been vocal in its support of the family.
We requested an interview with the family, they requested payment, we politely turned that down
In the most recently published interview, June told the UK-based tabloid Hello! magazine: “I don’t hate Oscar . . . I’ve forgiven him. I have to, that’s my religion.
“But I am determined to face him and reclaim my daughter.”
She also spoke of how she felt her daughter’s “presence” and how Reeva still speaks to her. She said: “I trust that God will prevail and justice will be done. All we want is the truth.”
The Washington Post newspaper reported in March that US broadcaster NBC News had agreed to pay the Steenkamps money for their “co-operation in a series of interviews”.
The Washington Post said NBC News had in some cases forked out $100 000 for interviews, although it could not determine how much the deal with the Steenkamp family was worth.
It quoted an NBC spokesman as saying a “very modest licensing fee” was paid.
But the same article revealed how NBC had done “six figure” deals with other newsworthy people.
However, not all international broadcasters are willing to pay — ABC News spokesman Heather Riley was quoted as saying: “We requested an interview with the family, they requested payment and we politely turned that opportunity down.” Comment on this: write to tellus@sundaytimes.co.za or SMS us at 33971 www.timeslive.co.za