Oscar Pistorius will face serious harm if sent to prison, his defence lawyer argued today as a South African prison gang leader promised he would be ‘taken out’.

‘The General’, the leader of notorious prison gang 26s, allegedly promised Pistorius’ wealth would not save him in remarks reported by the local press and quoted by the athlete’s defence lawyer Barry Roux in court today.

Against this backdrop, Reeva Steenkamp's cousin took the stand today in order to say the Olympian must "pay for what he's done", testifying that she believed the athlete's courtroom apology was not sincere.



Kim Martin was testifying on the fourth day of Pistorius' sentencing hearing. Giving an emotional testimony on the impact of Ms Steenkamp's death on her family, Ms Martin says they are "not seeking revenge" but Pistorius needs "sufficient punishment."

A judge is listening to testimony from witnesses before deciding what punishment the double-amputee Olympian must serve after convicting him of culpable homicide for shooting Ms Steenkamp in his home last year.

Pistorius' defence lawyers have argued for a sentence of three years of house arrest. Prosecutors say the former star athlete should be sent to jail.

The remarks come as the prison commissioner called to defend the South African penal system in Pistorius’ trial admitted that the Olympian should not be placed in a ‘regular’ institution.

Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Show all 53 1 /53 Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Members of the South African Police Service with Oscar Pistorius in the back of an armoured police vehicle as he is transported away from the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius escorted by south African policemen enters a police van after being sentenced at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius enters a police van after his sentencing at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius is lead away by police and into an armoured vehicle as he is transported away from the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius is escorted by south African policemen to a police vehicle to transported to prison at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Reeva Steenkamp's parents Parents of Reeva Steenkamp leave the High Court in Pretoria after Oscar Pistorius was sentenced to 5 years in prison for shooting his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Pistorius leaves the Pretoria High Court after he is sentenced in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius is led out of court in Pretoria. Pistorius received a five-year prison sentence for culpable homicide by judge Thokozile Masipais for the killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius turns to leave the dock following his sentencing at the high court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius holds the hands of uncle Arnold Pistorius and family members as he is taken down to the holding cells by South African police after being sentenced to five years imprisonment for the culpable homicide killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at the high court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius embraced by his coach Ampie Louw before his sentencing on day six of sentencing procedures at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Aimee Pistorius Oscar Pistorius's sister Aimee Pistorius looks on during sentencing of Oscar Pistorius at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius listens to his judgement in the Pretoria High Court Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius stands in the dock as sentence is delivered at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Judge Thokozile Masipa Judge Thokozile Masipa speaks during the last day of sentencing hearing of Oscar Pistorius at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Reeva Steenkamp's parents Reeva Steenkamp's parents June and Barry Steenkamp arrive in the Pretoria High Court for the last day of Oscar Pistorius sentencing Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius arrives in court on day six of sentencing procedures at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius arrives for the last day of his sentencing at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius reacts during day five of sentencing procedures at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius cries during his fifth day of sentencing hearing at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius wipes tears during his fifth day of sentencing hearing at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius in the dock during day four of sentencing procedures at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius The sister of Oscar Pistorius, Aimee (L), sits next to her aunt Lois during his sentencing hearing at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius South African Judge Thokozile Masipa waits before the sentencing hearing of Oscar Pistorius at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius sits in court before the fourth day of sentencing proceedings in the high court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius arrives for the fourth day of sentencing at North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius leaves the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius on day three of sentencing procedures at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius is comforted by his lawyer Barry Roux, while listening to a family witness's account of her longstanding friendship with Reeva Steenkamp, during his sentencing proceedings at the high court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Reeva Steenkamp's parents Barry Steenkamp, father of Reeva Steenkamp, is consoled by his wife June Steenkamp during the sentencing hearing of Oscar Pistorius at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius South African Olympic and Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius arrives at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria. Pistorius returned to the court on the third day of sentencing procedures for the negligent killing of his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Reeva Steenkamp's parents June Steenkamp (front) and her husband Barry (L), parents of Reeva Steenkamp, arrive at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on the third day of Pistorius sentencing Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Carl and Aimee Pistorius Siblings Carl and Aimee Pistorius arrive at the High Court in Pretoria, as their brother Oscar Pistorius appears on the third day of the sentencing procedure Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius leaves the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria. He returned to the court for the second day of sentencing procedures for the negligent killing of his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures June Steenkamp June Steenkamp leaves the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Barry Steenkamp Barry Steenkamp leaves the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius sits in the Pretoria High Court on the second day of his sentencing Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Samantha Taylor and Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius makes his way past his ex girlfriend Samantha Taylor as he arrives in the Pretoria High Court for sentencing in his murder trial in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius and Carl Pistorius Oscar Pistorius hugs his brother Carl Pistorius as he arrives in the Pretoria High Court for the second day of sentencing in his murder trial Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Reeva Steenkamp's family Reeva Steenkamp's family arrive at the High Court for the second day of the sentencing of Oscar Pistorius murder trial in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures A supporter of the death penalty outside the court A supporter of the death penalty holds a noose outside the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius arrives at the High Court for the second day of sentencing in his murder trial in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius is greeted by an unidentified woman at the end of his first day of sentencing hearing at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius looks down while his psychologist gives evidence during sentencing procedures on a charge of culpable homicide at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures June Steenkamp Reeva Steenkamp's mother June Steenkamp during the sentencing of Osar Pistorius in the Pretoria High Court Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius arrives in court to face sentencing for the shooting death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius talks to one of his defence lawyers at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius sits after arriving for sentencing procedures on a charge of culpable homicide at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Gerrie Nel Prosecutor Gerrie Nel cross-examines a witness during the court appearance of Oscar Pistorius in his sentencing on a charge of culpable homicide at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures June Steenkamp June Steenkamp, the mother of Reeva Steenkamp arrives at High Court for the sentencing of Oscar Pistorius murder trial in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Barry Steenkamp Barry Steenkamp, father of Reeva Steenkamp, arrives ahead of the sentencing of Olympic and Paralympic track star Oscar Pistorius at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Barry Roux Barry Roux, Defence lawyer of Oscar Pistorius, arrives at the High Court in Pretoria Oscar Pistorius: The sentencing in pictures Oscar Pistorius Oscar Pistorius arrives at the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria

Moleko Modise, the Acting National Commissioner for Correctional Services, said Pistorius would need to be housed in the hospital wing.

Mr Modise said the South African prison system did “compare favourably with other prison in the world” but conceded there were cases where inmates failed to receive medical care or facilities.

Yesterday, Pistorius’ defence lawyer Gerrie Nel cross examined social worker Annette Vergeer who claimed the double-amputee should be placed under house arrest rather than sent to prison, because he would be “a lot more vulnerable than the normal man” in jail.