The double-amputee Paralympic and Olympic sprinter, Oscar Pistorius has been freed after serving a 13-year sentence for murdering his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. He was escorted out of Atteridgeville Correctional Centre and taken to his uncle’s estate outside Pretoria after some 11 years in prison, following his parole.
According to a report by dailymail.co.uk, Pistorius was granted an early release on 24 November 2023, following a parole board review that deemed him fit for social reintegration, setting his release for 5 January 2024. Although parole officers stated he would be treated like any other inmate, he was granted a private exit.
The parole release came amidst June Steenkamp, Reeva’s mother, expressing that she continues to serve a life sentence in her grief. She hoped that the release of her daughter’s murderer would bring her some peace, despite believing that Pistorius continues to lie about the circumstances surrounding Reeva’s death.
Reeva tragically lost her life on Valentine’s Day in 2013, when Pistorius shot her four times through the bathroom door of their home, claiming it was an accident, mistaking her for an intruder.
Following his release, Pistorius will remain under the supervision of the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) and will be subject to parole conditions until December 2029. He will be assigned a monitoring official to oversee his activities, such as seeking job opportunities or changing residences.
His uncle’s estate, where Pistorius will reside, is fortified with security measures, including armed guards, advanced security technology, and canine patrols, aiming to shield him from media attention and potential threats that might arise upon his release.
In a heartfelt statement, Mrs. Steenkamp expressed the pain and ongoing difficulty of coping with the loss of her daughter, Reeva. She conveyed gratitude for the support received but also highlighted the challenges faced due to media scrutiny, which deprived them of privacy and led to verbal and emotional abuse from certain members of the public.
Expressing her sincere wish that people reconsider the impact of their hurtful comments, she emphasized that while they understand parole is part of the legal system, they would have preferred their daughter alive and well. She affirmed her belief in the South African justice system, noting the conditions set by the parole board as a step in acknowledging the seriousness of gender-based violence.
