The paralympian has served half of his 15-year sentence for the murder of his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
FILE: Oscar Pistorius at his murder trial at the High Court in Pretoria on 6 July 2016. Picture: AFP
JOHANNESBURG – The Correctional Services Department said Oscar Pistorius’ parole application will be handled like that of any other offender.
The paralympian is serving a 15-year prison sentence for the murder of his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
He shot her dead in the bathroom of his Pretoria East home during the early hours of Valentine’s Day in 2013.
Having served half of his sentence, Pistorius is eligible for parole and the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board will to hear his application on Friday.
Despite his public profile, Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said Pistorius won’t receive any special treatment.
“In Correctional Services the mandate and the code is clear that all inmates must be treated equally.”
He added that the department is alive to the fact that some offenders have elevated public profiles.
“But when they’re inside our facilities we must make it a point that at no point they may either feel special or feel they are being ill-treated because of that elevated public profile. Hence the process remains the same, must be applied the same way and it has to be fair to the inmates.”
