Oscar Pistorius tried to get work with the International Paralympic Committee after his release from jail on parole in January, but was unsuccessful, with one member saying Pistorius is “too toxic to work with now”.
Pistorius now volunteers for maintenance and janitorial work at the NG Kerk Waterkloof in Pretoria, a church his uncle attends, the Daily Mail reports.
His appearance and demeanour have changed since he came out of prison, says some of those who have seen him.
“I almost didn’t recognise him,” said a church member, who spotted Pistorius there last month. “His hair is longer and he’s got a beard. He’s also not as lean as I expected.”
Another church member said he was “not friendly and not outgoing.”
The disgraced athlete has repeatedly said he mistook his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, for an intruder when he fired four shots into the bathroom of his Pretoria home and killed her.
In a tearful interview in 2016, he said: “I did take Reeva’s life, and I have to live with it.”
The former Olympic and Paralympic runner dubbed the “Blade Runner” for his carbon-fibre prosthetic lower legs was once the darling of the sports world and a pioneering voice for disabled athletes. He made history as the only double amputee to compete in the Olympics.
Currently living in his uncle Arnold’s Waterkloof mansion, Pistorius is under close supervision by a parole officer and must follow strict conditions. These include drug and alcohol testing, restrictions on contact with the Steenkamp family, social media activity, interviews, and the publishing of memoirs.
Reuters reported earlier this year that Pistorius will be required to attend gender-based violence classes and continue anger management therapy.
His initial sentence was increased after an appeal by prosecutors, leading to a longer prison term that expires in December 2029.
Compiled by staff writer
Pictured above: Oscar Pistorius.
Image source: File
