Johannesburg - Vuma Reputation Management has denied reports that it has parted ways with the Pistorius family, saying it is still working with the family.
Speaking to The Star on Thursday morning, Vuma’s chief executive Janine Hills said the assumption came from a radio interview she did on Thursday when she explained that the company was handing over the process of media liaison back to the family.
They had put systems in place to make the process easier for the family. Hills said people did not understand just what they were dealing with.
“We get about 300 to 500 calls locally and internationally and about 2 000 e-mails.
“It’s big, few people understand the sheer size of this.
“We (Vuma Reputation Management) don’t normally act as spokespeople. We would normally train someone to do it and also help them understand the different mediums such as radio, TV and print. Sadly, no one in the Pistorius family was able to do it, they were traumatised and in shock and asked us to do it,” she said.
Hills also said what they were doing was not a PR exercise, because someone had died. This then had to be balanced with Pistorius’s brand as a mass global international figure as well as with sensitivity to Reeva Steenkamp’s family.
The Pistorius family had initially appointed Steve Higgins of the UK to deal with the media.
However, he was not familiar with South Africa’s situation.
Between Higgins and the family, Vuma was then appointed and took over from February 18.
“At the time the family was in shock and unable to deal with the media. They were not prepared and we had to step in and help facilitate the media,” she said.
Hills said they had been advising the family on how to deal with the media themselves and that the handover process started last week Friday.
She described the process as “big” and did not know when it would come to an end.
Pistorius’s uncle was returning from overseas today and Hills said they were to have a meeting with him to discuss the future.
“If the family is strong enough and confident to deal with the media, we will step back, but if they can’t, we will still help them,” Hills said.
The Star