Commission for Gender Equality welcomes Pistorius court ruling

The Commission for Gender Equality has welcomed the Constitutional Court’s dismissal of Oscar Pistorius’s appeal against his murder conviction.
Pistorius approached the Constitutional Court after the Supreme Court of Appeal overturned his culpable homicide conviction and ruled that he was guilty of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp three years ago.

On Thursday, the Constitutional Court ruled that Pistorius’s appeal had no prospect of success. The paralympian athlete is at the moment out on R10 000 bail and is expected to return to the high court in Pretoria on 18 March for sentencing.
Speaking on SABC News, Commission for Gender Equality Spokesperson Javu Baloyi said: “We believe as the commission that this will send a strong message to society that irrespective of your status everybody is equal before the law. The law should be applied without fear or favour.”

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has also welcomed the judgment. Spokesperson, Luvuyo Mfaku said: “We can confirm as the institution that we received an order from the registrar of the constitutional court concerning that Mr Oscar Pistorius’s leave to appeal has been dismissed due to lack of prospects of success.”
Mfaku added: “As the institution we welcome the decision as it vindicates our position that their appeal had no merits and there were no prospects of success.”