The Oscar Pistorius Trial: A learning experience shared among friends
A lot has been said and written in the last few days about the sentence Oscar Pistorius received for murdering Reeva Steenkamp - some opinions informed, others not so much. The disgraced Paralympian was sentenced to 6 years in jail after his initial conviction of culpable homicide was overturned by the Supreme Court of Appeal in December.
From day one of Pistorius' televised trial in South Africa it seems we all became overnight legal experts - criticising and questioning every comment and decision made in court.
We all started using phrases like dolus eventualis (after Googling it) and debating on social media with people from all over the world about Pistorius' guilt.
There have been many well informed articles, opinion pieces and debates about the legal aspects of this case, the ethics, as well as the people involved, but this is not one of those pieces.
I, like so many other journalists, have been covering this case since the news broke on Valentine's Day three years ago, and like many South Africans, we have been on a roller coaster of emotions all the way through.
People ask what my views are on the sentence and what I've learned from this experience.
I don't believe my opinion matters or differs that much from anyone else's. However covering this trial must be one of the most challenging things I have ever done. The drama, the anxiety, and the pain took its toll on everyone, journalists included. As a country, I think we've learned so much about ourselves as this trial unfolded.
If you ask any journalist who covered this story how they feel about it, you would get reactions varying from hatred all the way to extreme sadness - and most of us experienced all these emotions, sometimes in just one day.
As I walked up to the court this week for the sentencing I looked at the massive media contingent and saw countless familiar and friendly faces. Everyone embracing and greeting each other with a smile as we try to find a little sun in an effort to escape the icy shadow of the enormous courthouse.
We have all come such a long way to get to this point. I can't think of one journalist who didn't have to rely on someone else at least once. Whether it was a tip-off about a presser or just a supportive hug after a rough day, throughout this trial I saw local and international media working, and sometimes arguing, together side by side.
I looked at the sea of faces with a sense of pride. We did it - despite the at times warranted criticism, we did good. However on a selfish level the moment was also somewhat bittersweet.
Covering this case brought such a large group of us together for weeks at a time. Being a journalist can often be a lonely journey, but during stories like these we get to hear about each other's lives, share meals and even a few laughs together. The times we spent before and after court reminded me of break-time at school. We all had work to do, and took it seriously, but we enjoyed each other's company during the downtime.
For many of us it was an exhausting and gripping learning experience shared between friends, and we are all the better for it.
As we wait to see if this really is the last chapter of this tragic story, South Africans and journalists go back to their lives, waiting for the next breaking news.
Written by Maryke Vermaak, JacarandaFM News journalist