Steenkamp's mother, June Steenkamp, said in a statement earlier Friday that she accepted Pistorius' parole as part of South African law.
“Was justice served for Reva? Did Oscar serve enough time? There will never be justice if your loved one never comes back, and no amount of time served will give Reva back,” June Steenkamp said. “We are the ones who stayed behind.” “We are serving a life sentence.”
Reeva Steenkamp and Oscar Pistorius in Johannesburg in 2012.credit: AP
“With Oscar Pistorius released on parole, my only wish is to be allowed to live out my final years in peace while remaining focused on the Reva Rebecca Steenkamp Foundation, to continue Reva’s legacy.”
The Prison Service has confirmed that the multiple Paralympic champion's release – like any other offender on parole – does not mean he has served his time.
Some of Pistorius's parole conditions include restrictions on the time he is allowed to leave his home, an alcohol ban, and orders that he must attend programs on anger management and violence against women. He will have to perform community service.
Pistorius will also have to meet regularly with parole officials at his home and in correctional services offices and will be subject to unannounced visits by authorities. He is not allowed to leave the Waterkloof area without permission and is banned from speaking to the media until the end of his sentence. He could be returned to prison if he violates any of the conditions of his parole.
TV crews, photographers and reporters gather outside the doors of the Atteridgeville Correctional Center in the South African capital of Pretoria, South Africa, waiting to catch a glimpse of world-famous amputee Olympic runner Oscar Pistorius, who is scheduled to be released on Friday. .credit: AP
South Africa does not use tags or bracelets on parole criminals, so Pistorius will not wear any monitoring device, Department of Corrections officials said. But he will be constantly monitored by a department official and will have to inform the official of any major changes in his life, such as if he wants to get a job or move to another house.
Pistorius confirmed that he shot Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model and law graduate, by mistake. He testified that he believed Steenkamp was a dangerous intruder hiding in his bathroom and shot through the door with his licensed 9mm handgun in self-defense.
Prosecutors said he intentionally killed his girlfriend during a late-night argument.
Steenkamp's family did not oppose his November parole request, although June Steenkamp said in a victim statement submitted to the parole board that she did not believe Pistorius had been fully rehabilitated and was still lying about the killing.
Before the murder, Pistorius was an inspiring role model after having both of his legs amputated below the knee as a child due to a congenital condition. He became a champion runner on carbon fiber running blades, and made history by competing in the 2012 London Olympics.
But his murder trial destroyed his image. He was accused of being prone to outbursts and acting recklessly with weapons, while eyewitnesses testified about various altercations he had with others, including one in which he allegedly threatened to break a man's legs.
Pistorius was first convicted of murder – a charge similar to manslaughter – and sentenced to five years in prison for killing Steenkamp. After appeals by prosecutors, he was eventually found guilty of murder and his sentence was increased, although the ruling by the Supreme Court of Appeal did not conclusively rule that he knew it was Steenkamp behind the toilet door.
Pistorius was first sent to prison in 2014, was released under house arrest in 2015 during appeal, and was returned to prison in 2016. He was initially detained at Kgosi Mampuru II maximum security prison in Pretoria, but was transferred to Atteridgeville early in his life. ruling because it is more suitable for the detention of disabled prisoners.
Reaction to Pistorius's parole has been weak in South Africa, a stark contrast to the first days and months following Steenkamp's killing, which sparked angry protests outside Pistorius's court hearings demanding a long prison sentence. There is no death penalty in South Africa.
“He met all the necessary conditions,” said Themba Masango, secretary-general of Not In My Name International, a group that campaigns against violence against women. “We can only hope and hope that Oscar Pistorius will become a better human being.”
“We tend to forget that there is a possibility for someone to be rehabilitated.”
AP
