According to numerous reports, Reeva Steenkamp’s parents said that they are prepared to take part in a victim-offender dialogue as part of Oscar Pistorius’s parole consideration.
According to the South African Department of Correctional Services, before parole is considered offenders must “acknowledge and take responsibility for their actions”. As part of the restorative justice process there needs to be “an opportunity for parties to reconcile or an apology”.
The Steenkamps’ lawyer, Tania Koen, told national broadcaster SABC that they “would like to participate in the victim-offender dialogue”.
“June [Steenkamp, Reeva’s mother] has always said that she has forgiven Oscar, however that doesn’t mean that he mustn’t pay for what he has done… Barry [Steenkamp, Reeva’s father] battles with that a bit, but that is something he will have to voice at the appropriate time,” Ms Koen added. “The wound, even though so much time has passed, is still very raw.”
Koen said that being eligible for parole is not the same as being entitled to it, therefore it is not a foregone conclusion that Pistorius will be released.
There was also significant confusion over when the parole process would start as it was widely believed that it would not be until March 2023. According to Koen, the Steenkamps’ were “very shocked and quite taken aback” by the fact that Pistorius was already eligible for parole.
In an interview Koen said that the parole board had decided to convene late last month but Steenkamp’s parents had not been consulted.
“Barry and June Steenkamp have always obviously been aware because I have prepared them that at some point in time Oscar, as with any other offender, will be eligible for parole. We thought he would be eligible in March 2023 so when the Department of Correctional Services contacted me to enter into dialogue with the Steenkamps we were under the impression that was discussed whether they would be prepared to enter into a victim-offender dialogue. Unfortunately two days before the meeting with the Steenkamps the department contacted me to cancel that meeting. To add further insult to injury Oscar’s attorney Julian Knight advised me on October 18 that the parole board had informed him that they would be convening on the 27th or the 29th of October, that came as a further shock to the family. We have had correspondence with the department because there are certain statutory requirements that they had to follow which they did not follow. I was then subsequently advised that the board will not be convening on the 27th or the 29th of October,” Koen said.
“They are open-minded because they’ve always said that the law must take its course, so they are well aware of what the law is, that a certain process must be followed. Even though their personal feeling is that they are hurt, the pain just resurfaces, it is as if the plaster that they have managed to place over their wounds has been ripped open because of the manner in which things have been dealt with. We are supposed to have a victim-centric approach,” she added.
“Julian Knight, who is the attorney for Oscar Pistorius, and I had been in contact with each other and we are of the same mind that proper procedure wasn’t followed. They acknowledge that they understand that they know that because besides the offender-victim dialogue that they did not follow that procedure, there are also certain reports that must be put before the parole board and these reports are not available. The parole board would not have been able to convene and apply their minds. It was premature for the department to have considered the parole board convening on that date.”
If Pistorius is granted parole, he will serve the remainder of his sentence at home and will need to report to prison officials regularly.
Sources: BBC, MSN
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