'June has been heard. She is happy now'

Oscar Pistorius's strict parole conditions are a triumph for the rights of gender violence victims, says lawyer Tania Koen.

The Paralympian will be released on January 5, almost 11 years after he killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp by shooting her four times through the bathroom door at his Pretoria home on Valentine's Day in 2013.

Reeva's mother June Steenkamp did not oppose parole, but submitted a victim impact statement to the parole board in which she asked for strict parole conditions.

“June has been heard. She was given a voice, her words were listened to and her feelings have been respected,” said Koen, who represented her.

Steenkamp was not present at the Blade Runner's parole hearing, which took place over several hours at Atteridgeville Prison, west of Pretoria. She opted instead to spend the day alone.

“But she is happy now. This decision has empowered her. Up until now, apart from attending the court case, she felt like she had nothing to contribute,” Koen told the Sunday Times. “But she was able to give her victim impact statement which was read into the record, and going by the parole conditions that were ordered, she knows the parole board listened to her and believed her.

“She was able to speak and she has been heard, and that alone is a huge victory and it will help other victims too,” Koen said, referring to the parole board's order that Pistorius enter into an anger management programme, gender-based violence programmes and ongoing therapy as a mandatory part of his parole conditions.

Pistorius will be allowed to return to the Waterkloof, Pretoria, home of his uncle Arnold Pistorius.

In terms of Pistorius’s parole conditions, he may not leave the magisterial district of Waterkloof for any reason without first obtaining permission. He will remain under correctional supervision for nearly six years. If he makes it to that date without breaking his parole conditions or reoffending, he will be free from January 1, 2030.

Pistorius has stuck to the version that he did not target Reeva on purpose, and that he believed an intruder that had broken in and was hiding in the toilet cubicle. He claimed he felt vulnerable and scared on his stumps, and had fired out of fear.

In Steenkamp's victim impact statement, which was read out on Friday, she said she was not convinced that Pistorius had been rehabilitated.

“After Reeva’s death, Barry [her husband] and I, both devastated, tried with whatever emotional reserves that remained to take care of and support one another. And then the unthinkable happened: Barry passed away on September 14 2023. What he meant in my life and the extent of his support have now crystallised into what remains after: a bottomless black hole of pain and loneliness. I miss my partner and confidant dearly. That he is reunited with Reeva offers some respite, but does not ease the terrific sense of loss I have to come to terms with. 

“I am not attending Oscar’s parole hearing as I simply cannot muster the energy to face him again. Barry’s death has opened the wounds in many ways caused by Reeva’s death. I had forgiven Oscar long ago, as I knew almost instantly I would not be able to survive if I had to cling to my anger. 

“I do not believe Oscar’s version that he thought the person in the toilet was a burglar. I do not know anybody who does. My dearest child screamed for her life; loud enough for the neighbours to hear her. I do not know what gave rise to his choice to shoot through a closed door four times with hollow-point ammunition when, I believe, he knew it was Reeva.  

“I do not know which rehabilitation programmes were attended by Oscar while incarcerated, but I sincerely hope his rehabilitation included psychotherapy to deal with his temper and abusive behaviour towards women. I also hope specialist criminologists were engaged to assist in compiling a psychological profile that would assist in determining his risk for recidivism.

“I am not convinced that Oscar has been rehabilitated. Rehabilitation requires someone to engage honestly with the full truth of his crime and the consequences thereof. Nobody can claim to have remorse if they are not able to engage fully with the truth. If someone does not show remorse, they cannot be rehabilitated.  

“If they are not rehabilitated, their risk of recidivism is high. I am informed an inmate’s remorse and the extent to which they are rehabilitated are taken into consideration at the time of making a parole decision.  

“It is my earnest wish that no-one should be subjected to gender-based violence. I hope the parole board panel will evaluate the inmate’s rehabilitation by considering his engagement with the truth in determining the presence or absence of remorse. 

“It is my hope that parole decisions treat the safety of women as the most important consideration by exercising their power judiciously.”   

The statement was read out in public by friend Rob Matthews, whose own daughter, student Leigh Matthews, was shot dead by Donovan Moodley, a man serving life for the murder, who is on his own mission to get parole. 

Matthews said it was “an honour and a privilege” to speak on Steenkamp's behalf, and he felt “buoyed by the success” of the day. 

“There is no doubt in my mind that June's statement made a difference. Those conditions will remain in place for the rest of Oscar's sentence, until 2030,” Matthews said, declaring victory “for victims across the board who need to understand that they can be heard regardless of their station in life”. 

The Steenkamps and Matthewses have been united by tragedy, their daughters murdered by ruthless killers. On March 29 Moodley made a failed bid for parole and on March 31 Pistorius also made a failed effort. In July the Matthewses marked the passing of what would have been Leigh's 40th birthday, and in August Reeva would have celebrated hers. On Wednesday Moodley will appear in the Johannesburg High Court to ask for his parole application to be reviewed. 

Koen said Pistorius's parole conditions were a victory and “we are hoping it will encourage other victims to participate in the parole process”.

“This is our takeaway, that's bigger than anything else. It's the fact that victims can and do have a voice, and that the restorative justice process does work. The victim offender dialogue is part of that healing journey.”