The brother of Oscar Pistorius has made "a miraculous recovery" from a car crash which left him with catastrophic injuries.

The sports star's older brother was driving back from Limpopo just over two weeks ago when another vehicle is alleged to swerved into his path causing a head on collision.

Carl Pistorius suffered respiratory failure in the aftermath of the crash, multiple fractures, lacerations to his heart and liver and was trapped in the wreckage for two hours while emergency services battled to free him.

In a sad echo of his brother's disability, Carl Pistorious was left unable to use his legs following the accident.

But the 29-year-old has now been discharged from an intensive care unit at hospital, meaning he can begin rehabilitation and hopefully regain the use of his legs.

A family spokesman called it a "miraculous recovery".

But Pistorius, who was present in court when his brother Oscar gave evidence in his murder trial for killing Reeva Steenkamp, has a long road to recovery ahead of him.

"Carl Pistorius still needs to undergo surgery and will spend at least two more weeks in hospital. He's suffered multiple fractures and internal injuries," said a spokesman.