JOHANNESBURG
South Africa’s Justice Ministry on Wednesday announced that Paralympian Oscar Pistorius would not be released from prison on Friday as had been announced earlier.
In a statement, Justice and Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha said he had decided to refer an earlier decision to place Pistorius under house arrest to the Correctional Supervision and Parole Review Board (CSRPB) for reexamination.
“The consequence of this decision is that the earlier decision of the CSPB to place the offender under correctional supervision is suspended until the parole review board has decided on the matter,” he said.
The minister added that the decision to release Pistorius from jail on Friday and place him under house arrest – before he had even completed ten months behind bars – had been taken prematurely.
“It is apparent therefore that the decision to release him on August 21, 2015 was made prematurely on June 5, 2015, when the offender was not eligible to be considered at all,” Masutha stated.
The CSPB of the Pretoria Prison in which Pistorius is being held decided in June to put him under house arrest, also known as “correctional supervision”.
On Tuesday, however, the Progressive Women’s Movement of South Africa (PWMSA) sent a petition to the minister expressing its opposition to the move.
In its submission, the PWMSA urged the minister not to approve Pistorius’ release, citing the parole board’s “insensitivity” to the offender’s release during August, which is considered “Women’s Month” in South Africa.
The 28-year-old double amputee athlete was convicted last year of shooting and killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, at his Pretoria home on February 14, 2013.
Pistorius fired four shots at the closed door of his bathroom, instantly killing Steenkamp, whom he says he mistook for an intruder.
According to South African law, those convicted under a specific section of the country’s Criminal Procedures Act – as Pistorius was – are entitled to be released from prison after serving out one sixth of their jail term.
Once released from Prison, Pistorius will serve out the remaining part of his sentence under house arrest at his uncle’s luxurious Pretoria home.
The date for his release, however, remains uncertain and he could spend several more weeks in prison as his parole is reexamined.
Popularly known as the “Blade Runner”, Pistorius was born without fibulas in both of his legs. Before completing his first year, he had to have both his lower limbs amputated.
In 2004, Pistorius shot to fame at the age of 17 after winning a gold medal at the Athens Paralympics Games. He made history in 2012 when he became the first amputee runner to compete in the Olympics.
