Oscar Pistorius to be released in August.

He has served just 10-months jail for shooting his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, dead through the locked door of his bathroom on Valentines Day 2013.

After killing his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, and serving only 10-months jail Oscar Pistorius – to the shock and horror of her family – is going home.

The South African athlete was found guilty of culpable homicide in October 2014 and jailed for five years but the judge ensured he was eligible for release after serving just one sixth of his sentence under “correctional supervision”.

An announcement was made overnight that the Parole Board has approved the placement of Pistorius under correctional supervision on August 21 – meaning he will be able to serve out the remainder of his sentence on house arrest.

The 28-year-old athlete will be released from Kgosi Mampuru II Prison in central Pretoria in just over two months to live in his uncle’s palatial home.

The news was confirmed by correctional services.

“He has been recommended for correctional supervision on August 21,” Zach Modise, commissioner of the correctional services, said.

“Normally, this will mean house arrest with one hour of free time each day. As he progresses, we will relax these conditions.”

Pistorius has been held in the hospital ward of Kgosi Mampuru II prison in Pretoria for killing Reeva Steenkamp his girlfriend, a law graduate and model, by shooting her dead through a locked bathroom door on St Valentine’s Day 2013.

He claimed in court that he mistook her for a burglar, and his claims were validated when he was found guilty of culpable homicide rather than murder.

The parents of Reeva Steenkamp have expressed shock at the imminent release of the man who killed their 29-year old daughter.

“They were shocked because not even 10 months have passed and he will be eligible for parole in August already,” Tania Koen, a lawyer for Barry and June Steenkamp, said.

In a submission to the parole board, when his release was being considered, Barry and June Steenkamp said: “We have forgiven Mr Pistorius even though he took the life of our precious daughter, Reeva. Our lives will never be the same as we live with the sadness of her death every day.

“Reeva had so much to offer this world and we were all robbed of her life when she was killed. As her family, we do not seek to avenge her death and we do not want Mr Pistorius to suffer; that will not bring her back to us. However, a person found guilty of a crime must be held accountable for their actions.”

“Statistics show that our society is under continuous attack from criminals and murderers. Incarceration of 10 months for taking a life is simply not enough. We fear that this will not send out the proper message and serve as the deterrent it should.”

Pistorius’s house arrest means that he will live at his uncle’s home and will be expected to check in with a parole officer frequently. He will be allowed one hour of free time a day but this will be gradually extended allowing him to go to work, Church or to run errands.

His lawyer, Rohan Kruger, recently told The Sunday Times that upon his release Pistorius wants to work with children.

“Oscar is keen to become involved in assisting children in whatever opportunity will present.”

The parole decision has been condemned by gender rights activists.

South Africa has one of the highest rates of intimate partner homicide in the world, with it being estimated that a woman is killed by her husband or boyfriend every eight hours – more commonly than by strangers in South Africa.

Rachel Jewkes, director of gender and health research at the South African Medical Research Council, told The Guardian the decision was a “travesty.”

“It sends out a message that, with the right resources, you can kill a woman with impunity. It’s a setback for the campaign against gender violence in South Africa.”

“There have been some very high profile cases recently serving to remind us what a terrific problem we have of men killing their nearest and dearest in this country.”

But Rohan Kruger says Pistorius will serve out his sentence in his own way telling The Sunday Times :“Wherever he goes he will be Oscar Pistorius,”

“A man as famous as him could never change his name. Anyway, that would be running away and disowning what happened.

“Oscar will have to lift his head and take it on the chin. He took it on the chin when he got the verdict and he will do the same when he walks through the prison gates in August.”

The freedom could be short lived.

An appeal by South African prosecutors to try to increase the severity of Pistorius’s conviction will be heard in November with the state attempting to upgrade his charge to murder.

If an appeals court finds him guilty of murder he could face at least 15 years in jail.

Until then he has freedom just 74 days away.

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