Oscar Pistorius has been piecing a new life together in the 13 months since he was released from a South African prison on parole.
The six-time Paralympics gold medalist served just under nine years in total for killing his girlfriend at the time, Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentine’s Day in 2013. Pistorius shot Steenkamp multiple times through a toilet door and claimed he mistook her for a burglar in the middle of the night.
During a high-profile trial, he was originally convicted of culpable homicide (or manslaughter) before the verdict was converted to murder on appeal. Pistorius was released last January but will be forced to abide by strict parole rules until 2029.
Part of those rules involve a ban on consuming alcohol, speaking to the media or leaving his home during certain hours of the day. Since being released, Pistorius is believed to have moved into the home of his uncle, Arnold, who is a successful businessman in South Africa.
According to The Telegraph, Pistorious has found a new partner called Rita Greyling – a blonde-haired business management consultant from a well-to-do family who was recently hired by Dutch consultancy firm Inlumi.
June Steenkamp, the mother of Pistorius’ murdered ex-girlfriend, has publicly stated she would be ‘concerned for the safety’ of any woman who associates herself with the Paralympian.
Mark Williams-Thomas, a former detective who remains in regular contact with Pistorius, paints an altogether different picture.
“He will forever live with what happened to him, and he’s never shied away from that,” the Englishman explained. “He’s always accepted the responsibility for what he did. He took someone’s life, and he’ll live with that for the whole of his life.”
Pistorius has also thrown himself into new work ventures since being released – at least those that fit into hours permitted by his parole conditions. The 38-year-old reportedly volunteers at his local church, where he sweeps the floors.
He also launched a new charity called ReAble. But the fate of the organisation is currently unclear after Pistorius stepped down as chief executive in November last year.
Keeping fit has played a prominent role in Pistorius finding his way back to normality since his release, and Williams-Thomas claims that the former athlete has come a long way. “When he came out [of prison], he was a shadow of himself,” he explained. “In the first early days, I would speak to him and he was just profoundly exhausted, mentally and physically.
“He is much better now. He’s working hard physically at the moment – running, in the gym and trying to get his body back into shape. Exercise has always been so important to Oscar. He knows how important it is to keep fit and stay healthy.”
