Public opinion divided as 'pit bull' grills Pistorius

As South African prosecutors go, few have the tough reputation enjoyed by Gerrie Nel. It is one that has earned him the sobriquet "pit bull" and he is famed for fiercely leading the prosecution of a corrupt national police chief.

Yet, this week his profile has soared to unprecedented levels as the "pit bull" has been unleashed on a national hero in a spectacle that has riveted a global audience. The object of his relentless questioning is Oscar Pistorius, the Paralympic superstar accused of murdering his model girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.

From the witness there have been tears and uncontrolled sobbing - even bouts of vomiting as Mr Pistorius has appeared on the stand. His demeanour highlights the dramatic fall from grace of a man who less than two years ago was a darling of the crowds at the London Olympics.

Mr Pistorius had both of his legs amputated below the knee at just 11 months old and gained worldwide acclaim for becoming the first amputee to compete against able-bodied athletes in the Olympics.

Mr Nel has not shown him a hint of mercy, remaining true to form and firing a barrage of belligerent questions at the accused. On Friday, the prosecutor was even briefly admonished for crossing a red line.

"Watch your language, Mr Nel," said the judge, Thokozile Masipa. "You don't call the witness a liar, not while he is in the witness box."

It was the latest scene in a trial that has grabbed the attention of many across the sports-mad nation, regardless of race or class - a topic that drifts in and out of the chatter in cafes, bars and on the streets.

"It's because before everything happened we used to love him," said Andy George, from Khayelitsha, Cape Town's biggest township, checking the trial coverage in a tabloid newspaper. "He was like a hero and a role model and now people are disappointed in him."

His colleague, Gassan Adams, a former convict, then interjected. "If you commit a crime, you must get punished - it's the same for Oscar Pistorius," he said. Mr Adams, who is from Cape Town's Flats, which are notorious for gang-related violence added: "If he's crying, he's just putting up a performance."

If the court of public opinion appears damning, the performance of Mr Nel seems to have reinforced the views of those doubting Mr Pistorius's version of events. The prosecutor is attempting to prove that Mr Pistorius shot Ms Steenkamp after a row at his home in Pretoria in the early hours of Valentine's day last year.

Since beginning his questioning on Wednesday, Mr Nel has sought to portray the double-amputee, known as the "blade-runner," as an ill-tempered gun enthusiast who is economical with the truth and eager to blame anybody but himself.

Mr Pistorius has always insisted he shot his girlfriend by mistake after waking up in the early hours and, believing there was an intruder in his house, grabbing his pistol and firing through the door of the en suite toilet. It was only when he returned to the bed that he realised Steenkamp was not there.

Throughout Mr Nel's cross-examination, the atmosphere in court has been highly charged and Ms Steenkamp's mother has watched silently, bowing her head to avoid seeing photos of her dead daughter.

All the while the gaze of the world has been on the courtroom. Not only does the trial involve one of the nation's most famous sons, but it is also the first in South Africa to be televised.

Witnesses have the choice of whether to appear on camera - Mr Pistorius chose not to. But the proceedings are covered live on a dedicated channel set up by MultiChoice, a South African TV company, and in large chunks by mainstream South African broadcast media. George Mazarakis, executive editor of the dedicated channel, said viewing figures for it were higher than any of Mutlichoice's scores of other channels.

Journalists in court are also giving minute-by-minute Twitter updates as social media has become the platform on which many are keeping up with events.

The result is that the trial is being followed like a soap opera - albeit one that involves real-life drama and which has gone into the intimate details of the tragic death of 29-year-old model and law graduate.

Pistorius jokes and phrases from the trial have made it into the South African lexicon, while Mr Nel, and his counterpart, Barry Roux, who is leading the defence, have been elevated to national status.

"People are talking about it, but I want to say why is it so important when people are being killed every day?" says Samantha Hughes, a shopper in Cape Town. "It's because he has money."

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