South African athlete Oscar Pistorius has been released on parole after serving almost nine years for the killing of his girlfriend, according to South Africa’s Department of Corrections. The announcement, made around 8:30 a.m., revealed that corrections officials released the double-amputee Olympic runner from the Atteridgeville Correctional Center in Pretoria in the early hours. Pistorius, who received a 13-year and five-month sentence for the 2013 murder of Reeva Steenkamp, became eligible for parole in November, following the required half of his sentence served.
The Department of Corrections said in a two-sentence statement announcing Pistorius’ release that it was “able to confirm that Oscar Pistorius is a parolee, effectively from 5 January 2024. He was admitted into the system of Community Corrections and is now at home.”
Pistorius was expected to initially reside at his uncle’s mansion in the upscale Waterloo suburb of Pretoria, as evidenced by a police van parked outside the house.
Officials from the Department of Corrections had emphasized that Pistorius’ release time would not be disclosed in advance, and he would not be “paraded” to avoid the media attention that has consistently followed him since the tragic incident on February 14, 2013, when he fatally shot Reeva Steenkamp multiple times through a toilet door at his home.
Under strict parole conditions, Pistorius will continue to live until the conclusion of his sentence in December 2029.
June Steenkamp, Reeva’s mother, mentioned in an earlier statement on Friday that she had accepted Pistorius’ parole as mandated by South African law.
“Has there been justice for Reeva? Has Oscar served enough time? There can never be justice if your loved one is never coming back, and no amount of time served will bring Reeva back,” June Steenkamp said. “We who remain behind are the ones serving a life sentence.”
“With the release of Oscar Pistorius on parole, my only desire is that I will be allowed to live my last years in peace with my focus remaining on the Reeva Rebecca Steenkamp Foundation, to continue Reeva´s legacy.”
The Department of Corrections underscores that the release of the multiple Paralympic champion, Oscar Pistorius, on parole doesn’t signify the completion of his sentence, aligning with the standard procedure for all parolees.
Pistorius will adhere to specific parole conditions, including limitations on leaving his residence, a prohibition on alcohol consumption, mandatory participation in anger management and violence against women programs, and community service requirements. Regular meetings with parole officials at home and correctional services offices, along with unannounced visits, are part of the stringent monitoring measures.
Additional restrictions include obtaining permission for leaving the waterleaf district, a media ban until the end of his sentence, and the potential for re-incarceration for any breach of parole conditions. South Africa doesn’t employ monitoring devices like tags or bracelets; instead, Pistorius will be under constant scrutiny by a Department of Corrections official, notifying them of significant life changes.
Maintaining his claim of mistakenly shooting Reeva Steenkamp, Pistorius contends that he believed she was a threatening intruder, leading to the fatal incident. Prosecutors argued he intentionally killed her during a late-night argument.
Despite June Steenkamp expressing skepticism about Pistorius’ full rehabilitation and truthfulness, the family did not oppose his parole application in November.
