Oscar Pistorius must meet with Reeva Steenkamp’s parents upon his release from prison, South African officials have said.
The former Paralympian athlete is expected to be freed from prison and moved to house arrest on Tuesday after serving 11 months of his five-year sentence for the manslaughter of his then-girlfriend, Ms Steenkamp.
Department of Corrections officials have not released the full details of Pistorius’s probation conditions, although the parole board did say that he would have to continue receiving psychotherapy and would not be allowed to possess a firearm.
But speaking to the eNCA news agency on Monday, correctional services minister Michael Masutha revealed that the athlete would be compelled to meet with the Steenkamp family “if and when they agree to meet him”.
Masutha said he hoped meeting Pistorius would help Ms Steenkamp’s parents come to terms with her loss. He said: “It is especially the person who is the source of your pain, who making peace with is likely to bring the greatest healing.”
Ms Steenkamp's parents are trying to "move on with their lives", their lawyer said last week, adding that “whether Oscar Pistorius remains incarcerated or is released makes no difference to them”.
According to eNCA, the Steenkamps would be open to a meeting but only out of the public eye and “at the right time”.
The parole board cleared Pistorius for release from Kgosi Mampuru II Prison in Pretoria in June, only for that decision to be suspended by the minister of justice, who ordered a review.
A parole review board then sent Pistorius' case back to the same prison officials to consider again.
The 28-year-old will now be able to leave prison on Tuesday. He is expected to serve his house arrest at his uncle's home in an upmarket suburb of Pretoria.
Additional reporting by agencies
