Oscar to stay behind bars

The ministry says the decision by the Correctional Services Parole Board to release the athlete on probation is now under review and until that process is complete - Pistorius will have to stay at the Kgosi Mampuru ll prison in Pretoria for now.

Minister Michael Masutha says on Monday he received a petition from the Progressive Women's Movement of South Africa - who are against Pistorius' release on correctional supervision.

They say the Parole Boards’ decision to let Pistorius walk during Women's Month is insensitive. 

Masutha says he also believes the decision to release him was premature and that there was no legal basis for it.

Pistorius was last year convicted of the culpable homicide of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp and sentenced to five years in prison. 

The State this week filed papers in the Supreme Court of Appeal to have the conviction changed to murder.

The minister's decision to suspend Pistorius' release comes as Steenkamp would have turned 32 today.

(File photo: Gallo Images)