Watch Insight's double episode on Seeking Justice — and what it looks like for different people — on
On Valentine’s Day in 2013, June and Barry Steenkamp could never imagine their lives would change forever.
At 6am, June received a phone call from a detective who told her that her 29-year-old daughter Reeva had died that morning after being shot at the home of her boyfriend, former Paralympian Oscar Pistorius.
The couple had only been dating for a couple of months.
“I was screaming and hysterical,” June told Insight.
Pistorius was first jailed in 2014 for killing his girlfriend and eventually — the minimum sentence for murder in South Africa.
But even though Pistorius was charged with murder and remains in prison, June and her husband say they're still searching for justice.
Reeva Steenkamp in Johannesburg, South Africa. The model was murdered by her partner Oscar Pistorius in February 2013. Source: Getty / Gallo Images
'I don't believe a word': what it would take for June Steenkamp to feel justice has been served
The former sprinter said at his trial he was protecting himself and Reeva from an intruder when he fired through his bathroom door.
June has never believed him, and worried during his trial that he would walk free given his profile and popularity.
“He was treated like royalty … he just got away with things,” she said.
“He has never confessed the truth and never shown any remorse for killing her.
“I don’t believe a word of his story.
“He has to confess what he’s done; that would be justice,” the 76-year-old said.
Barry (left) and June Steenkamp, father and mother of murdered South African model Reeva Steenkamp, say they don't believe the words of Oscar Pistorius, who was convicted over their daughter's death. If he confessed what they believe to be the truth, they say that would be justice. Source: Getty, AFP / Marco Longari
Domestic violence is an increasing epidemic in South Africa. Women there are killed by intimate partners at a rate five times higher than the global average, according to the peer-reviewed scientific journal South African Family Practice and World Bank.
June says she’s become a different person since her youngest child was murdered.
In the South African city of Gqeberha (previously Port Elizabeth), June and her husband Barry dedicate their time to the Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp Foundation, which works to educate and empower women against domestic violence. It also supports young women studying law.
Though June thinks Pistorius won't confess in their lifetime, she said hearing Pistorius tell the truth would be the best thing that could ever happen to her and her husband.
'People's needs are not met'
Former Victorian Attorney-General Rob Hulls said justice is the philosophical idea that people are treated fairly, and their rights are upheld.
“They can go to the justice system to have their needs met … in many cases, people's needs are not met,” said Hulls, who is also director of the Centre for Innovative Justice at RMIT University in Melbourne.
“People seek to have their rights upheld and to have a wrong rectified, and that's understandable.”
“Whether or not they actually had those needs met through the justice system is a different question,” Hulls said.
He has to confess what he’s done; that would be justice.June Steenkamp
Can justice be felt in the wake of the MH17 disaster?
For Sydney couple Jon and Meryn O’Brien, there will never be complete justice for the death of their 25-year-old son.
Jack O’Brien was killed in July 2014 when a over Ukraine by pro-Russian separatists.
The downing of flight MH17 killed all 283 passengers and 15 crew.
Thirty-eight of them were Australian.
Australian Jack O’Brien was killed in July 2014 when a Malaysian Airlines plane was shot down over Ukraine by pro-Russian separatists. Source: Supplied
In November last year, following , the court found two Russians and a Ukrainian were guilty of murder.
A need for accountability
Despite this, the O’Brien family does not expect to see any accountability from the state, or the individuals involved, in their lifetime.
“We knew that Russia wouldn't extradite their citizens and that whatever the verdict, and the sentence was, that it wouldn't be carried out," Meryn said.
“They just shrug their shoulders.”
Jon (right) and Meryn O'Brien say the fact no one has taken responsibility for the MH17 crash that killed their son Jack (left) means they will never feel they have justice. Source: Supplied
Finding solace in sharing stories
Jon believes the families of victims being able to tell their stories is another form of achieving justice.
“Being able to tell your story is incredibly important and for that to be heard, acknowledged and validated,” Jon told Insight.
“I think the bits where justice is missing is accountability — that the perpetrators who were convicted have admitted no involvement or responsibility whatsoever.
The Russian Federation has continued to deny any responsibility, which the O’Brien family say is "galling and offensive".
And in the case of their son Jack, and the other victims who died on MH17, there is no such thing as compensation or justice.
“Jack and everyone else on MH17 had their lives stolen from them. They didn't die, they were killed. They were murdered," Jon said.
"How could their lives possibly be restored to them? How could we as parents ever have recompense for the loss of our children and their place in our lives?
“There are elements of justice that just can't be done.”
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