Oscar Pistorius, the former Paralympian convicted of the tragic murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, has been officially released and is now back at home. The Department of Correctional Services confirmed his release in a brief statement, affirming that Pistorius has returned home.
The high-profile case dates back to Valentine's Day 2013 when Pistorius fatally shot Steenkamp behind a closed bathroom door. In 2014, the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria found him guilty of culpable homicide.
Recently, the Department of Correctional Services spokesperson, Singabakho Nxumalo, declared Pistorius a parolee effective from January 5, 2024. Pistorius has been integrated into the community corrections system and is now residing at home. Notably, the Department refrained from disclosing specific release details for security reasons, emphasizing the need to safeguard the safety of the involved parties.
Nxumalo emphasized that Pistorius would receive no preferential treatment due to his public status. Despite being a public figure, Pistorius would undergo the community corrections system and be supervised until his sentence expiration in 2029. His current residence, his uncle's mansion in Waterkloof, Pretoria, was also his house arrest location from 2015 to 2016.
Reeva Steenkamp's mother, June Steenkamp, expressed ongoing pain and grief over her daughter's untimely death. She reflected on the enduring sorrow and sympathized with other victims' families whose perpetrators escaped justice. Acknowledging parole as part of South Africa's legal framework, June emphasized the irreparable loss suffered when a loved one cannot return. While recognizing Pistorius's parole and the conditions imposed by the board, she underlined the unending grief for those left behind after such tragic losses.
