Reeva feared ‘lies’ could ruin relationship with Oscar

The cover of heat magazine.

Reeva Steenkamp was concerned that lies could ruin her relationship with Oscar Pistorius, the model said in an interview a week before her death.

In the interview with heat magazine, Steenkamp said she “respects and admires” Pistorius. But she also feared that negative publicity could harm the so-called Blade Runner’s career on the track.

“We haven’t been talking to the media because I don’t want to get it tainted,” she told the magazine.

“I don’t want anything coming in the way of his career. He’s such an amazing athlete.”

She added: “You know what they do, they make things up, ‘Reeva cheats on Oscar’ and rubbish like that. “I wouldn’t want lies about us jeopardising it.”

The 29-year-old also said she wanted to move away from bikini shoots and become known for classier work.

“I’m trying to work on my modelling career and remove myself from the whole FHM stigma,” she said. “I want to be seen as a classic model.”

Andre Neveling, heat South Africa editor, said: “Our publication had a very good relationship with both Oscar and Reeva, and as a couple they agreed to do an exclusive cover shoot with heat in April. During this candid one-on-one with heat 7 days before her death, Reeva opened up for the first time about her blossoming romance.”

Neveling told City Press today that it took a lot of convincing to get the couple to agree to a sit-down interview. They were discussing the idea on the red carpet of the Sports Industry Awards.

“They spoke openly about everything,” he said. “It started in October and they began dating in November and they asked to hold off on the cover story until April to give them some time. That said to me that they were serious.”

Neveling also said that he and his team at the magazine, who knew Steenkamp and Pistorius well, were shocked by what happened in the early hours of Valentine’s Day.

“From our side we didn’t see this coming at all,” he said.

“I last saw them together at (restaurant) Tasha’s at the white party on the 26th of January and they were very chilled. I said goodbye to Reeva on the escalator. They seemed really happy and sounded quite serious.”

» The full interview with Reeva is published in heat magazine.