Pistorius's parole set aside

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The board, which sat in Johannesburg on Monday, 5 October, has set aside the decision of the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Supervision and Parole Board (CSPB) to place Pistorius under correctional supervision.

According to the board's initial decision, Pistorius was meant to be placed under correctional supervision with effect from 21 August 2015.

In terms of Section 73(6)(a) of Correctional Services Act, Act 111 of 1998 as amended, offenders sentenced to serve one sixth of their sentences should be considered only after completing the prescribed minimum incarceration period.

Correctional Services spokesperson Manelisi Wolela said the Chairperson of the Parole Review Board, Judge Lucy Mailula, concurred with the concerns registered by Justice and Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha that the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Supervision and Parole Board made the decision prematurely.

"In reviewing the case, the PRB also directed that the profile of the offender be referred back to the CSPB for reconsideration. The PRB also directed that the offender be subjected to psychotherapy in order to address criminogenic factors of the crime he committed," Wolela said.

Judge Mailula said the psychotherapy intervention could be implemented even if the offender is indeed placed under correctional supervision in terms of Section 276(1)(i) by the Kgosi Mampuru II CSPB.

The Parole Review Board also directed that sentencing remarks should be considered to determine if any order was issued in terms of Section 103 of the Firearms Control Act of 2000, and if not, consideration should be given to impose such a condition for the duration of the sentence.

According to Wolela, the Kgosi Mampuru II CSPB is expected to reconvene in due course to take forward and implement the decision of the Parole Review Board.