The Contrasting Lives of Senzo Meyiwa and Oscar Pistorius

Two men, two athletes and such contrasting lives. One took a bullet defending his girlfriend from armed intruders who attacked her house and the other pumped bullets in his girlfriend’s body to sniff life out of a young soul.

Senzo Meyiwa  the South African football captain and star died a couple of days back when his girlfriend’s house was attacked by armed intruders. He reportedly was shot while trying to save his girlfriend. Senzo was in true sense a star, backbone of the South African football and very dear to his team mates and his countrymen. He died like a hero.

On the other hand, Oscar Pistorius the champion blade runner was convicted, also a couple of days back, for murdering his girlfriend. Oscar claiming the incident to be an accident could not escape prosecution. In one of the most publicly reported trial, anger for Oscar only grew as disturbing truth and facts about him started coming to light. He was reportedly described as a one with serious behavioural issue and his relationship with his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, whom he shot dead, was also reportedly coming to an end. Reeva had reportedly packed her bags to leave Oscar on the fateful night when she was shot dead.

What turns a person into a selfless hero and on the other hand what turns a hero into a villain? Is it genetics, environment or situation or a combination of all three? Does environment play a major role or does the situation dominate in bringing out good and evil out of people? 

PhilipZimbardo said that a bad situation turns good people into bad people but it also could produce a hero amongst them. Why Oscar and Senzo despite their individual sporting heroics come out as two different persons? Why Senzo did not save his life considering that he had a whole sporting career ahead of him? And did Oscar kill his girlfriend to prevent the world from knowing the real ugly truths about him?

These questions would keep lingering and would keep social psychologists busy. However Senzo to me remains the real hero and man who stood his ground selflessly and took the bullet on his chest while protecting his family.

Brave Senzo, RIP.