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South African parole board meets again over Pistorius

Pistorius, a Paralympic gold medalist, was due to have been released on parole in August after serving 10 months but Justice Minister Michael Masutha blocked his release, saying the parole hearing had been held prematurely.

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On Monday the parole review board referred the parole decision back to the original parole panel, stating that Pistorius should be “subjected to psychotherapy” as part of his parole conditions.

Asked how long Pistorius would have to wait to reconsider his placement on correctional supervision, Webber said: “How long is a piece of string?”

Pistorius was jailed past year for killing Steenkamp on Valentine’s day 2013.

The department said it “could not speculate or predict the outcomes of today’s meeting”.

The Kgosi Mampuru II Parole Board was due to consider Pistorius’s release on Friday, but it is understood that the board postponed it as it wanted to again consult with the Steenkamp family regarding Pistorius’s release.

At a globally televised trial he argued that he had mistaken Steenkamp for a burglar.

Even if he is released, Pistorius faces a further test on 3 November when prosecutors appeal to South Africa’s supreme court to try to secure a murder conviction and a harsher sentence.

A champion Paralympian and once a poster boy for sport, Pistorius, known as the “Blade Runner” for the prosthetic legs he wore on the track, shot to fame when he raced against able-bodied competitors in the 2012 London Olympics.

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Steenkamp’s parents have strongly opposed the athlete’s possible parole.

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