General: Pistorius moved ahead of victim-offender dialogue

Convicted murderer Oscar Pistorius was transferred from the Atteridgeville Correctional Centre in Gauteng to St Albans Correctional Centre in Gqeberha to take part in a victim-offender dialogue with Reeva Steenkamp’s parents, June and Barry Steenkamp. A Daily Dispatch report notes the disgraced Paralympian killed Reeva in February 2013 when he shot her through the closed bathroom door at his home in Pretoria. Advocate Hannelie Bakker, on the instruction of Tania Koen Attorneys & Conveyancers, confirmed that she would be representing the Steenkamps.

Bakker said she was aware Pistorius had been transferred to St Albans and they were awaiting further details from the Department of Correctional Services as to when the parole hearing would take place. She said as part of the parole process, Reeva’s parents would hand in affidavits in which they would express their views and opinions on Pistorius and the parole process. Pistorius’ legal representative Julian Knight said if any victim-offender dialogues were to take place, it would be a private matter arranged by the prison authorities. ‘If and when it happens, it is not a public event. I have not been advised of anything,’ Knight said.