Steenkamp family rejected Pistorius's $35k blood money payment: court

Oscar Pistorius allegedly offered his girlfriend's family a US$35k (A$37,870) compensation payment after her death but they rejected the "blood money".

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel said the parents of Reeva Steenkamp had been receiving monthly payments of $US540 ($A585) from Pistorius but when he tried to offer the lump sum they turned it down.

"Did the legal team of the accused tell you that the deceased family rejected the offer of 375,000 (rand)?" Nel asked state witness Annette Vergeer.

"The deceased's mother went so far to say that she rejects that and that she doesn't want blood money," he added.

Nel said that the Steenkamps also intend to return the monthly payments they had received from Pistorius.

Parole officer Vergeer warned that prison would "break" the Paralympian star, as his legal team mounted a last-ditch battle to keep him from going to jail for manslaughter over the killing of Ms Steenkamp last year.

"Without legs he will be vulnerable and a lot more vulnerable than the normal man," said Vergeer, who was paid for her work for the defence.

"I've recently done a case for rape within the prison, gang rape, how can we say that he won't be exposed to that?" she said, adding that washing his stumps may also be a problem.

Pistorius was found guilty last month of culpable homicide over the killing of 29-year-old Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day last year, but acquitted of murder.

His sentencing hearing began at a Pretoria court on Monday and is expected to run for the much of the week.

Another defence witness on Monday suggested Pistorius clean a museum for 16 hours a week as punishment, drawing a furious reaction from state lawyers.

Prosecutor Nel described the suggestion as "shockingly inappropriate".

There is no mandatory sentence for culpable homicide in South Africa, and Masipa could give Pistorius anything from a suspended sentence to 15 years in jail.

South Africa's department of correctional services has said that Pistorius could be entitled to separate accommodation "depending on the vulnerability caused by the disability".