The same judge originally convicted him of manslaughter in 2014 after months of hearings, but a higher court reversed that to murder a year ago, leading to Wednesday’s sentencing.
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Murder carries a minimum 15-year sentence in South Africa unless compelling reasons can be found to reduce the term.
“I am of the view that a long term of imprisonment would not serve justice in this case”, she said.
The lawyer for Pistorius later said he would not appeal against the sentence.
The supreme court of appeals overturned that verdict and upgraded the charges to murder.
The 29-year-old, who stood impassively as the sentence was read out, hugged members of his legal team and chatted briefly with his sister Aimee before police led him away.
She noted that Pistorius had fired four times – not once – through the closed toilet door and spoke of the devastating effect the crime had on Steenkamp’s family.
Pistorius maintained he killed her by mistake, thinking she was an intruder hiding in the bathroom.
Pistorius had been sentenced to five years for manslaughter, serving one sixth of the sentence before becoming eligible for house arrest.
The sentence is less than half of the 15-year minimum term Pistorius had faced.
Pistorius, dressed in black tie, white shirt and black jacket, stared straight ahead in court during the televised proceedings, which were attended by his family and relatives of Steenkamp, a former law graduate and model.
He made history by competing at the 2012 Olympics on his carbon-fiber running blades, and was one of the world’s most recognizable athletes.
The state prosecutors have not announced whether they’ll appeal the sentence and have two weeks to decide.
She said the fact that the double amputee had tried to save Ms Steenkamp’s life following the shooting played a factor in her sentencing, as did his repeated and unsuccessful attempts to apologise to her family. “That application as we’ve seen before can take a lengthy period of time, but at least three years at this stage”, said criminal defence attorney Ulrich Roux. It’s an insult to the women of South Africa,”Jacqui Mofokeng, spokeswoman of the ANC party’s women league, was quoted as saying by the AFP after the sentencing”.
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“Thankfully, healing has already started, Mr and Mrs Steenkamp have stated they have forgiven the accused”, the judge said in her ruling.
