Oscar Pistorius, PR firm part ways
2013-03-07 07:28
Johannesburg - Murder-accused athlete Oscar Pistorius and
the public relations company representing him have parted ways, according to a
report.
The New Age reported that Vuma Reputation Management started
handling media queries for the Pistorius family the day after Pistorius shot
and killed his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, at his Pretoria home.
The company denied suggestions that the decision to part
ways had anything to do with controversial comments made to the British media
by Oscar's father, Henke Pistorius, that the family needed guns as the ANC
government was not doing enough to protect white people in the country.
"Absolutely not, it has nothing to do with the
comments. We are in the process of handing over everything to the family as our
contract with them was only for two weeks," Vuma spokesperson Lunice
Johnston told the newspaper.
Johnston added that the family now believe they can handle
the media themselves.
"Our relationship with the family is still good and we
will still keep in contact with them."
However, Pistorius's uncle, Arnold Pistorius, said in a
statement earlier this week that the family would no longer be communicating with
the media.
"We are still in deep mourning, trying to come to terms
with what happened. For this reason and out of respect for the Steenkamp
family, the Pistorius family will not grant any media interviews at this time."
The statement also distanced the family from the
controversial comments made by Henke Pistorius, saying it was "deeply
concerned" about his claims, and that these did not represent the views of
Oscar Pistorius and the rest of the family.
Henke Pistorius's interview was "unapproved by our
media liaison team", Arnold Pistorius said.
