Here is a Look at What Will Happen to Oscar Pistorius After His Release
Oscar Pistorius, a former Paralympian star, was given parole over 11 years after killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, and he will be freed from jail on Friday.
- Here is a look at Pistorius’s post-release plans under South Africa’s restorative justice scheme.
Oscar Pistorius, a former Paralympian star, is scheduled to be freed from jail on Friday. He was granted parole over 11 years after the terrible death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. In March 2023, Pistorius—dubbed the “Blade Runner” due to his carbon-fibre prosthetic legs—became eligible for parole after completing half of his 13-year, five-month murder sentence.
Pistorius was given parole on November 24 and it will begin on January 5 as part of South Africa’s restorative justice programme.
Pistorius will serve out the balance of his sentence in the nation’s community prisons system, according to a statement from the Department of Correctional Services (DCS).
He will be under the DCS’s supervision and be subject to parole restrictions until the end of his sentence in December 2029.
Pistorius will have a monitoring official assigned to him upon his release, and this official must be kept updated on his employment search and any changes to his domicile.
According to a lawyer for the Steenkamp family, he will also attend programmes on gender-based violence and continue his anger management treatment sessions as part of the parole requirements.
Pistorius is most likely going to live in Pretoria.
Pistorius’s eligibility for early release was determined by various factors, including the nature of the crime, potential for reoffending, conduct in prison, physical and mental well-being, and possible threats upon release.
Prior to parole, Pistorius participated in the restorative justice program, which aims to address crimes in a participative and reconciliatory manner.
As part of this program, victim-offender dialogues were held, including one involving Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp’s father, Barry Steenkamp, on June 22, 2022.
The early release of Pistorius has elicited varying reactions. The attorney for the Steenkamp family said that they were not surprised by the parole ruling and that they had no issues with Pistorius’s release.
June Steenkamp, Reeva Steenkamp’s mother, did not protest Pistorius’s release, although she did voice scepticism in a statement.
Both Pistorius’s family and attorney have been silent about the situation.
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