SABC defend decision to air reality TV show following Steenkamp death

SABC has defended its position to air the reality TV show Tropika Island of Treasure following the death of Reeva Steenkamp.

The model had taken part in Tropika Island of Treasure for SABC 1 which sees celebrities do battle to win 1 million rand (£72,500). The broadcaster aired a tribute to the model just before the episode aired on Saturday.

Samantha Moon, producer of the television show, spoke to the BBC’s Newshour to defend their decision to air the programme just days after her death.

“I took it after consultation with her family and the feeling was that this is an amazing woman who you don’t have very much in the public domain except for the work she was most well known for… which is her modelling work.” – Samantha Moon

Her family consented to the programme being shown with her sister Sharon Steenkamp saying that it was one of Reeva’s ‘last wishes’ that her family must watch the show.

Reeva Steenkamp was shot dead at the home of Paralympian athlete Oscar Pistorius. He has been charged with her murder which took place on Valentine’s Day, February 14.

[Written by Shaun Linden]