In the early hours of Valentine’s Day 2013 police were called to the Pretoria residence of South African Olympic runner Oscar Pistorius. Pistorius’ girlfriend, model Reeva Steenkamp, had been shot and killed, in what was originally alleged to have been a case of mistaken identity. Subsequent details released to the press, however, including four shots fired at Steenkamp through the bathroom door, an argument between the couple the night before, a bloody cricket bat recovered from the scene, Steenkamp’s crushed skull and the presence of her overnight bag in Pistorius’ bedroom, tend to indicate otherwise.
In August 2012 Oscar Pistorius became the first double amputee to run in an Olympic race, coming in second in the first heat against five runners, though he failed to medal in the race itself. Later that month he competed in the London Paralympics, bringing home the gold for South Africa in the 4 x 100 meter relay run and the 400 meter run, and establishing a new world record in a heat for the 200 meter competition, in which he later finished second. Pistorius became known as “the Blade Runner” for his cutting-edge prosthetic limbs; both legs had been amputated below the knee at age 11 months due to a congenital absence of both fibula bones. Pistorius won his first Olympic gold medal at age 17 in the Athens Paralympics in 2004.
Reeva Steenkamp had been modeling since the age of 14 and was the face of Avon in South Africa, as well as a law student. She and Pistorius began dating in November, just three months before her death. Early police reports indicate that prior domestic incidents had occurred between the couple.
When Reeva Steenkamp was killed on February 14, 2013, asteroid Valentine (#447) at 29 Pisces was conjunct Uranus, ruling shootings, at 6 Aries, and was semisquare Venus (lovers) at 15 Aquarius, itself conjunct asteroid Requiem (named for the funeral mass for the dead) at 9 Aquarius.
Valentine was also broadly squared TNO Ixion, named for the first murderer in Greek mythology, at 20 Sagittarius, which was conjoined asteroid Praetorius (#4889) at 23 Sagittarius, for Pretoria, South Africa, the venue of the shooting.
Valentine was also trine to asteroid Olympiada at 24 Scorpio, representing Oscar Pistorius’ Olympic status, and sextile to asteroid Atropos, named for the mythic Greek Fate who severs the thread of life at death, highlighting the transit opposition between it and Olympiada. Atropos and Olympiada were also in a dramatic T-Square with the Sun at 25 Aquarius, linking Olympians, death, and day’s events.
Other indicators of death and the persons involved include asteroid Pistoria (#8051), for Pistorius, at 7 Scorpio conjoined Saturn, ancient lord of death, at 14 Scorpio (and both squared transit Venus). Additionally, asteroid Oskar (#750) at 9 Capricorn was closely conjunct Pluto, modern lord of death, at 10 Capricorn and within orb of asteroid Olympia at 14 Capricorn. Transit Mars, ruling both athletes and violent death, at 9 Pisces was exactly sextile Oskar, conjunct Mercury (bringing news) at 13 Pisces, and squared to Jupiter (ruling renown and reputation) at 6 Gemini.
Contacts to the charts of both shooter and victim abound. Born 22 November 1986, Oscar Pistorius’ Sun at 29 Scorpio opposes natal Atropos at 26 Taurus, thus the runner was experiencing an “Atropos Return” at the time of the shooting, with the transit Sun highlighting Atropos within a degree. Broadly conjunct the Sun is TNO Ixion at 20 Scorpio, which is more closely tied to an exact opposition of natal asteroid Valentine at 18 Leo and natal asteroid Lachesis (named for the Greek Fate who determines the span of life) at 18 Aquarius, the latter conjoined transit Venus (love interests, girlfriends). The natal Sun is squared by natal Mars at 27 Aquarius, indicating the potential for both athletic prowess and violence, with Mars conjoined by the transit Sun for the shooting. Natal Jupiter at 13 Pisces is exactly conjunct transit Mercury, elevating Pistorius to the public eye and affecting his reputation.
A mini stellium of natal Venus at 5 Scorpio conjunct Pluto at 8 Scorpio includes asteroids Sphinx (mysteries) at 3 Scorpio, Olympia at 2 Scorpio and Requiem at 28 Libra. Both Requiem and Pluto are conjunct Black Holes, which promote sudden, unexpected turns of events, and Venus is exactly on a Quasar, indicating high visibility and public notice or attention. All these are squared by natal asteroid Osiris, named for the Egyptian god of the dead, at 6 Aquarius.
Natal asteroid Pistoria at 21 Sagittarius is exactly conjunct natal Uranus (shootings), with transit Ixion and Praetorius within orb. Natal asteroid Oskar at 18 Capricorn is conjunct natal Praetorius at 12 Capricorn and asteroid Icarus (rash, reckless actions) at 11 Capricorn, indicating a propensity for hasty, ill-considered actions which is exacerbated by residence in Pretoria. At the shooting, transit Pluto, Oskar and Olympia conjoined this grouping.
Reeva Steenkamp’s (born 19 August 1983) chart is similarly tapped in to the day. Her Sun at 25 Leo was exactly opposed the transit Sun, and filled out a Grand Cross formed of Pistorius’ natal Sun, Mars and Atropos, with transit Atropos and Olympiada. Natal Mars (violent death, sexual attraction) at 3 Leo conjoins natal asteroid Valentine at 6 Leo, and forms a Grand Cross with Pistorius’ natal Osiris in Aquarius, his Venus/Pluto Scorpio grouping, and Steenkamp’s natal Osiris at 10 Taurus. Natal Venus at 4 Virgo is squared natal Uranus at 5 Sagittarius and Pistorius’ natal Saturn at 10 Sagittarius.
A natal grouping of Requiem, Pluto and Saturn at 23, 27 and 29 Libra brings together three indicators of death and aligns with Pistorius’ natal Requiem at 28 Libra, while squared Steenkamp’s natal Atropos and Olympiada at 16 and 22 Cancer. This became a temporary T-Square with the inclusion of transit asteroid Lachesis at 27 Aries, exactly opposed natal Pluto on Valentine’s Day, with transit Atropos in exact inconjunct from 17 Taurus. Natal Ixion at 15 Scorpio is exactly squared transit Venus and joins the T-Square of Pistorius’ Valentine and Lachesis and her natal Osiris.
Steenkamp’s natal asteroid Oskar at 25 Pisces was conjunct transit Valentine for the shooting, and squared a natal stellium of natal Pistoria, Lachesis and Neptune at 19, 22 and 26 Sagittarius, which was conjoined by transit Ixion/Praetorius at her death.
Further details of the tragedy are being withheld by police pending prosecution, but authorities have stated that accidental death has been ruled out, and Pistorius will be charged with premeditated murder.
Alex Miller is a professional writer and astrologer, whose website AlexAsteroidAstrology.com offers a trove of info on the role of asteroids in personal and mundane astrology. He is the author of The Black Hole Book (available on Amazon.com) and The Urban Wicca, former editor of “The Galactic Calendar,” and past president of The Philadelphia Astrological Society. His pioneering work with Black Holes in astrological interpretation began in 1991, when his progressed Sun unwittingly fell into one. Alex’s books and writings are available on his website. Alex can also be reached for comment or services at .
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