Reeva Steenkamp

Oscar Pistorius: Reeva Steenkamp's parents to meet her killer

Reeva Steenkamp's parents are preparing to meet Pistorius.

It is part of a process that could lead to his eventual release on parole.

The South African athlete has been moved to a prison closer to Barry and June Steenkamp to enable the meeting to go ahead.

Pistorius has served half his 13 years and five months sentence, handed to him for the 2013 Valentine's Day killing.

Pistorius case to be heard by Supreme Court on Nov. 3

The Supreme Court announced the date on Tuesday. The court said the appeal by prosecutors against Pistorius' acquittal for murder for killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp will be heard by a panel of five judges.

Pistorius was found guilty of a lesser charge of manslaughter for shooting Steenkamp through a toilet door in his home in 2013.

Prosecutors say Judge Thokozile Masipa made errors at Pistorius' murder trial last year and want the Supreme Court to re-examine her verdict.

Pistorius' parole review hearing postponed for 2 weeks

The department's parole review board met on Friday to consider a number of cases but didn't complete them, it said in a statement. Pistorius' case was one of those which still must be reviewed.

The double-amputee Olympian was initially approved to be released and moved to house arrest last month. However, South Africa's justice minister intervened and ordered a review, saying a parole board's decision at a hearing back in June was premature.

Pistorius parole board review set for Sept. 18

Pistorius' family said in a statement Thursday that they had taken note of the date but would not comment further.

The double-amputee runner was denied early release last week after serving 10 months of his five-year manslaughter sentence for killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. 

The justice department said then the decision to release the Olympian to house arrest was taken too early.

Denied release for now, Pistorius remains controversial

As well as being wrong — Pistorius was convicted of manslaughter, not murder in Reeva Steenkamp's killing — they show the public outcry and political pressure that South African authorities face in Pistorius' case, specifically whether the former star athlete should be released early from prison.

Pistorius release put on hold by SAfrican justice department

Department spokesman Mthunzi Mhaga says Pistorius' release will have to be reviewed again because he was approved to be moved to house arrest too early.

Mthunzi says Pistorius should have served 10 months of his sentence before being considered for release. He was approved for parole in June, eight months into his sentence.