On Valentines Day in 2013, former South African Paralympian and professional sprinter, Oscar Pistorius, shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. He has been released on parole today, Friday,January 5, with one of the conditions that he does not conduct media interviews.
The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) said a decision was taken by the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board (CSPB) on November 24 last year to place inmate Pistorius on parole, which remains valid and is to be enforced.
In a statement released by DCS it stated that Pistorius, 37, shall be admitted into the system of Community Corrections and will be monitored until the expiry date of his sentence in 2029.
Pistorius was convicted of killing Ms Steenkamp, 29, a model and paralegal on February 14, 2013. In 2017, the Supreme Court of Appeal sentenced the former Paralympian to 13 years in prison after the State applied to have his initial six-year prison sentence increased.
Pistorius fired four shots through a bathroom door, claiming that he believed there was an intruder in his home.
The department said while Pistorius had an elevated public profile, it did not make him any different from other inmates or warrant inconsistent treatment.
“Consequently, the details in terms of transportation plans and time of release, shall not be made public. Disclosing such details may result in a security threat for the inmate and other stakeholders involved. Therefore, DCS has to carefully manage that particular risk,” DCS said in a statement.
Correctional Services national spokesman, Singabakho Nxumalo, said general parole conditions will apply to Pistorius, just like all other parolees. He will be expected to be home at particular hours of the day – usually between 7pm to 7am. He may not consume alcohol and other prohibited substances. Participation in other programmes that would have been identified by the CSPB will also be compulsory for him.
“Parolees are encouraged to either seek employment or start a business. Doing anything constructive will help them focus and rebuild their lives,” said Mr Nxumalo.
“Pistorius is not allowed to conduct any media interviews, simply because we need to protect the victims of crime. People may say things that push the boundaries, to protect the victims of crime and the parolees we restrict their engagement with the media. The department has opted for a victim-centred criminal justice system and as a result, inmates and parolees are never paraded.”
In the run-up to the parole hearing, Ms Steenkamp’s mother, June Steenkamp, released a statement, saying that she was not convinced Pistorius had been rehabilitated. She also said she had no objections to his release.
After Pistorius was granted parole, Ms Steenkamp lauded the parole board’s efforts in involving the victims.
Her husband, Barry Steenkamp, died peacefully in his sleep at the age of 80 in September 2023 – 10 years after his daughter was killed.
