Oscar Pistorius could win freedom on Friday in a parole hearing with reports suggesting that Reeva Steenkamp’s mother will not oppose his freedom bid.
The former Paralympian has been in prison since late 2014 for fatally shooting his then-girlfriend Ms Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day 2013.
Her mother, June Steenkamp, has decided not to ask a court to keep Pistorius in jail, according to reports, as it weighs up whether to grant him parole.
No reasons have been given, but she is expected to deliver a powerful impact statement on Friday before the authorities make a final decision, reported the Daily Mail.
She is not expected to attend the hearing in Pretoria and her message to Pistorius and the parole board will be read by a lawyer on her behalf.
Pistorius was initially convicted of culpable homicide, an offence equivalent to manslaughter, for shooting Ms Steenkamp multiple times through a closed toilet cubicle door in his home in the South African capital.
His conviction was upgraded to murder and he was ultimately sentenced to 13 years and five months in prison. The athlete has maintained that he thought Ms Steenkamp was an intruder hiding in the bathroom.
Pistorius’ eligibility for parole has been complicated by appeals by prosecutors which upgraded his initial conviction and sentence.
The Supreme Court of Appeal eventually ruled in 2017 that Pistorius should serve South Africa's minimum sentence of 15 years for murder, but took into account the year and seven months he had already served for culpable homicide.
However, the court made an error by not counting another period Pistorius had served while his murder sentence was being appealed, meaning he was in fact eligible for parole in March when he was told at his first hearing that he would only be eligible in August 2024.
He is not guaranteed to be granted early release and even if he is granted parole, he is unlikely to be freed immediately.
He could be released on full parole or placed on day parole, where he would be allowed to live and work in the community but have to return to prison at night.
Pistorius was once a celebrated athlete before the murder of Ms Steenkamp, as the first double amputee to run at the Olympics.
