Reeva Steenkamp: Oscar Pistorius Paroled After 11 Years

Paralympian Oscar Pistorius has been freed on parole from a South African jail, nearly 11 years after murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Officials confirmed Pistorius was “at home” on Friday morning, having served half of his more than 13-year sentence.

Ms Steenkamp’s mother said she accepted the decision to release the former athlete – but added her family was the one “serving a life sentence”.

***Reeva was described by friends as an ambitious and kind-hearted person***.

Mrs Steenkamp said she welcomed the conditions imposed by the parole board – which include anger management courses and programmes on gender-based violence – adding that those decisions had “affirmed Barry and my belief in the South African justice system,” referring to her late husband.

Pistorius, now 37, shot Ms Steenkamp multiple times in 2013 through a door.

The double amputee later claimed he had mistaken her for a burglar.

Pistorius was eventually convicted of murder in 2015 after an appeal court overturned an earlier verdict of culpable homicide.

Under South African law, all offenders are entitled to be considered for parole once they have served half their total sentence, which for Pistorius was finally set in 2017 at 13 years and five months.

He will live under strict conditions – including being unable to speak to the media – until his sentence expires in 2029.

June Steenkamp said in a statement that the family had “always known that parole is part of the South African legal system” and had “always said that the law must take its course”.

Timeline of the Trials of Oscar Pistorius

August 2012: Competes in London Olympics and Paralympics, where he won a gold medal
February 2013: Shoots dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp
March 2014: Trial begins
September 2014: Judge finds Pistorius guilty of culpable homicide
October 2014: Begins five-year sentence
October 2015: Transferred to house arrest
December 2015: Appeal court changes verdict to murder
July 2016: Returns to prison after being sentenced to six years for murder
November 2017: Appeal court increases sentence to 13 years and five months
June 2022: Meets Ms Steenkamp’s father, Barry, as part of a restorative justice programme
November 2023: Parole board agrees Pistorius should be released
January 2024: Freed from prison under parole conditions