Pistorius, who is now 36, shot dead Reeva Steenkamp in the early hours of Valentine's Day in 2013 when he fired four times through the bathroom door of his ultra-secure Pretoria house.

The six-time Paralympic gold medallist pleaded not guilty and denied that he killed Steenkamp in a rage, claiming he mistook her for a burglar.

Pistorius, known worldwide as the "Blade Runner" because of his carbon-fibre prosthetics, was sentenced to 13 years behind bars.

"We have been advised by the parole board that the hearing will take place on the 31st of March, 2023," his lawyer Julian Knight told Agence France-Presse (AFP).

"It's an internal process."

Offenders in South Africa are automatically eligible for parole consideration after serving half of their sentence.

A decision is usually known the same day of the parole hearing or a day later, and "if the decision is negative, the offender has the right to approach the courts for review," Knight told AFP.

As part of his rehabilitation, Pistorius met Steenkamp's parents June and Barry last year, in a process authorities aid to ensure inmates "acknowledge the harm they have caused to their victims and the society at large".

Last month, on the 10th anniversary of their daughter’s death, Reeva’s parents announced that they believed Pistorius should remain in jail for life, and that they had not forgiven him for the murder.

Pistorius, who the year before the offence had represented South Africa at the Olympic and Paralympic Games at London 2012, had initially been sentenced to six years in jail but the term was later lengthened to 13 after the state appealed that it was unduly lenient.

Asked to comment on the looming hearing, lawyer Tania Koen, who represents the Steenkamp family, said "every offender once they have served a certain portion of their sentence is entitled to be eligible to be considered for placement on parole and Oscar Pistorius is no different."