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Former Paralympic champion and convicted killer Oscar Pistorius was granted early release on parole on Friday, nearly 11 years after he killed his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in a crime that gripped the world.

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‘The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) confirms parole placement for Mr Oscar Leonard Carl Pistorius, effective from 5 January 2024,’ DCS spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said in a statement .

This comes after a parole board at Atteridgeville Prison to the west of Pretoria, where he is currently being held, spent just under an hour deliberating whether the 37-year-old met the requirements for release, reported New24.

‘Classified as a first-time offender with a positive support system, Oscar Pistorius’ parole placement is in line with Section 73 of the Correctional Service Act,’ continued the statement.

‘Parole placement forms part of the total rehabilitation programme in correcting offending behaviour and may include continuation of programmes aimed at reintegration while in the system of community corrections.’

Nxumalo added that Pistorius will complete the remainder of his sentence in the system of community corrections and will be subjected to supervision in compliance with parole conditions until his sentence expires.

The parole board also took into consideration a victim impact statement submitted by Reeva’s mother, June Steenkamp, expressing that she did not believe that Pistorius was rehabilitated.

This was the former athlete’s second parole hearing in under a year since he was sentenced to 13 years and five months in prison.

His first parole bid was struck out in March because he had not completed the minimum detention period. The decision for a second hearing came after his lawyer took his case to the constitutional court over errors in calculating when Pistorius would be eligible for parole, leading to Friday’s parole hearing.

He was initially told he would be eligible in August 2024, when he was in fact eligible in March.

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