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Johannesburg - Reeva Steenkamp's family are "excited" that Paralympian Oscar Pistorius will not be released on Friday, ANC Women's League Gauteng spokesperson, Jacqui Mofokeng, said.
"They called me, I cannot tell you how excited they are," she told News24 on Wednesday. "They phoned me to say 'thank you, thank you'."
Mofokeng was part of the Progressive Women's Movement of SA (PWMSA) that sent a petition to Justice and Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha, asking him to oppose Pistorius' release.
There was concern that Pistorius was being released on correctional supervision during women's month.
"The question is, if the petition was not out, we don't know what was going to happen cause it looks like he [Pistorius] was going to be out," she said.
"We need to know more about the parole board. For me they have made a boo-boo, I tell you."
In June, the Correctional Supervision and Parole Board (CSPB) confirmed Pistorius would leave the Kgosi Mampuru II prison in Pretoria on August 21.
Minister to review parole
On October 21 2014, Pistorius was sentenced to five years in prison for killing Steenkamp, and three years - suspended for five - for discharging a firearm in a restaurant.
Wednesday would have been Reeva's 32nd birthday.
Mofokeng said the news that Pistorius would not be released was a good birthday present. "I think it is the best birthday ever for Reeva... At least on Reeva's birthday... the minister will say I'm going to review [his release]," she said. She said the Steenkamps spent the day at the beach.
Mofokeng was one of the women who supported June Steenkamp during the murder trial.
The ANCWL said it was still convinced that Judge Thokozile Masipa handed down an erroneous judgment and lenient sentence in Pistorius murder trial.
"It is our wish that Pistorius remains in custody until November when the Supreme Court of Appeal will hear the appeal brought by the NPA against the judgment and the sentence."
