Cape Town Uber driver Eric Selaelo was taken aback by the news.<br />Like many South Africans, he was expecting double amputee and Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius to get at least 10 years for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in a case that has riveted the country’s attention for most of the past three years.<br />Instead, Pistorius got six.<br />“Huh?”<br />Selaelo spluttered.<br />“Minimum for murder is supposed to be 15.<br />Maybe he didn’t mean to kill her, but he took a life.<br />He needs time in jail as a lesson for everyone else.”<br />Like Selaelo, many South Africans were incredulous.<br />Twitter erupted in outrage over the light sentence, calling it a “disgrace,” an “embarrassment” and “disgusting,” while noting that lesser crimes, such as drug trafficking, fraud and theft, often get longer terms.
