The fact that Oscar Pistorius carried his shot girlfriend downstairs and called for help showed positive steps to save her life, his lawyer advocate Barry Roux told the Pretoria Magistrate's Court on Thursday.

The fact that he phoned estate manager Johan Stander and Netcare emergency services also meant he was trying to save her life.

Roux was presenting arguments on why Pistorius should be granted bail after he was accused of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at his home at the Silver Woods country estate.

It was also "speculative at best" that there may have been an argument, he said, saying that the origin of the argument was unknown and the theory of the argument was a sign of desperation by the State.

Roux also told the court that living in a security complex does not make a person immune to crime.

"Unfortunately, it is not South Africa's best kept secret: crime is not limited to unsecure areas," he said.

Living in a security complex did not tilt the scales in the State's favour, continued Roux

It was a "neutral" factor, he said.

Magistrate Desmond Nair asked why Pistorius's affidavit made no mention of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp's responses when he called out to her before firing shots.

Roux said it was "unlikely" she would have responded, because she was scared.

Nair also wanted to know if it was not possible that Steenkamp had gone to the toilet earlier, and whether there was not a "little" urine in her bladder, but Roux said there was none.

Pistorius held his head in his hands as the legal sparring continued.