South Africa’s former Olympic athlete, Oscar Pistorius, has been released on parole after serving almost 11 years in prison for the fatal shooting of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. Pistorius, known as the “Blade Runner” due to his carbon-fiber prosthetic legs, was quietly released from Atteridgeville prison near Pretoria, where he had been serving his sentence.
The Department of Correctional Services confirmed his release, stating that Pistorius had been admitted into the Community Corrections system and was now at home. He is restricted to the Pretoria district of Waterkloof, where his uncle resides, although precise details of his location have not been disclosed. As a condition of his parole, Pistorius is prohibited from speaking to the media.
Pistorius made history as the first double-amputee to compete at the Olympic level during the 2012 London Games. However, in the early hours of Valentine’s Day in 2013, he fatally shot his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, through the bathroom door of his heavily secured Pretoria home. He was subsequently found guilty of murder and sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2017, following a lengthy trial and multiple appeals. Pistorius had maintained his innocence, claiming that he had mistaken Steenkamp for an intruder.
Shortly before his release, Reeva Steenkamp’s mother, June, issued a statement accepting the decision of the justice system but emphasizing that the pain of her daughter’s loss remained “raw and real.” She stressed that no amount of time served could bring Reeva back, and those left behind were serving a life sentence.
In South Africa, offenders are eligible for parole consideration after serving half their sentence. Pistorius initially had a parole bid denied in March but successfully appealed, leading to his release.
As part of his parole conditions until the end of his sentence in 2029, Pistorius must undergo therapy for anger management and gender-based violence issues. He is also prohibited from consuming alcohol and other substances, required to complete community service, and must adhere to specific home hours.
The Department of Correctional Services emphasized that Pistorius’s high profile does not warrant special treatment, and his parole conditions aim to send a clear message that gender-based violence is taken seriously by the justice system. The Steenkamp family established the Reeva Steenkamp Foundation in 2015 to advocate against violence against women.
