Almost 11 years after he murdered his girlfriend, Paralympian Oscar Pistorius has been released from jail on parole.

The South African Department of Correctional Services announced Pistorius’s release on parole in a statement on Friday.

“The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) able to confirm that Oscar Pistorius is a parolee, effectively from 5 January 2024. He was admitted into the system of Community Corrections and is now at home,” the statement said.

The Paralympian who murdered his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in 2013 was tried and sentenced to 13 years in prison in 2015.

Half into his jail term, Pistorius and other prisoners like him under South African law are qualified to be considered for parole.

However, Pistorius will remain under stringent conditions, including not talking to the press, until his jail term elapses in 2029.

June Steenkamp, mother of the murdered lady, in a statement, reacted to the release of Pistorius from jail on parole. 

“There can never be justice if your loved one is never coming back, and no amount of time served will bring Reeva back. 

“We, who remain behind, are the ones serving a life sentence,” Mrs Steenkamp said.

Mrs Steenkamp said she and her late husband anticipated Pistorius’ release from jail on parole while lauding post-parole conditions for Pistorius, which include “anger management courses and programs on gender-based violence” for Pistorius as a good development for gender-based violence. 

“Oscar Pistorius’s release on parole, subject to certain conditions, has affirmed Barry and my belief in the South African justice system. 

“The conditions imposed by the parole board, which includes anger management courses and programs on gender-based violence, send out a clear message that gender-based violence is taken seriously,” she said.