Af. of the South: Oscar Pistorius asks for his parole

Oscar Pistorius has applied for parole ten years after the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Oscar Pistorius applied for parole.

The South African former Olympic runner is expected to attend a hearing on Friday to decide whether he is released from Atteridgeville Correctional Center in Pretoria ten years after killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. He had shot her several times through the bathroom door of her home on February 14, 2013 .

Parents of the victim who oppose Pistorius' release will be allowed to address the parole board at the hearing. The intervention of a victim's relatives is one of the many factors taken into account.

“The behavior of the offender is the most important consideration for the commission. It is evident that throughout the time the offender is imprisoned, his conduct is closely scrutinized by those in charge of the prison administration. The parole board will consider whether the offender has behaved well while incarcerated, whether he has attended life skills courses, whether he has participated in educational activities. it is up to the commission to determine whether or not he can be granted parole,” explained Neo Mashele, legal expert. 

In Johannesburg, feelings are mixed over Pistorius' possible parole on Friday.

"I believe people deserve a second chance. If he's served his time and learned his lesson, then yes, he can get out. I know there's a lot of healing to be done for a lot of people, but I think it's also his chance to come back to society." explained_Johannesburg resident Nomzamo Maxheke. 

"I think it's still a bit too soon, given the amount of evidence against him and..., the amount of time someone would normally serve for murder. I think it's still a bit fast for him to come out, but I mean, I hope it's all good no matter what." said Johannesburg resident Hugh Green-Thompson.

Pistorius, who is now 36, was eventually sentenced after multiple appeals to 13 years and five months in prison for murder in 2017.

The former athlete has been seeking parole since 2021 , but a hearing scheduled for that year was canceled in part because he had yet to meet Barry and June Steenkamp in a process known as the name of dialogue between the victim and the aggressor. This dialogue is compulsory in South Africa - if the victims or their families so wish - before an offender can be granted conditional release.