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Pistorius' parole: What Will His House Arrest Mean?

I perceive you're wondering what a "House Arrest" will really mean or would not not mean for the out of favour athlete. A run through this concise article would be of help in clearing any confusion or misconceptions.  
See article after the cut. Enjoy!

South Africa's double-amputee athlete Oscar Pistorius is under house arrest in a mansion with high walls and opulent wrought iron gates in the leafy suburb of Waterkloof in the capital, Pretoria.

It is far removed from the city's Kgosi Mampuru II prison, where the athlete has spent the last 12 months.

The Paralympian - who was released from jail a day earlier than expected, presumably to avoid a media scrum - will be under house arrest for the next four years for shooting dead his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day 2013, and for negligently handling a firearm at a restaurant in the same year.

Pistorius was sentenced to five years in prison, but under South Africa's laws an offender can be put under house arrest after serving at least one-sixth of their sentence in jail.


The blade-runner, as he was affectionately known - before his fall from grace - because of his prosthetics, will be able do many things while under house arrest.

These include going out to work and doing community service, like cleaning the library - as was suggested during his trial.

His lawyers have argued that track and field training would qualify as work for him, but it is still not entirely clear whether he will be allowed to train.

But he will not be able to compete in any Paralympic event until 2019, according to spokesman for the International Paralympic Committee.


He is allowed to attend important family gatherings.


However, he will not be allowed to go out of the house at night - and drinking alcohol and taking drugs are banned.

Prison officials can randomly conduct tests to check whether he is abiding by the order.

If Pistorius violates any of the parole conditions, he faces various punitive measures - the most stringent of which would be a return to prison.

(Excerpts)
Sourced from BBC‎ News Africa.