Cape Town - Struggle icon Chris Hani’s widow Limpho used the commemoration of her husband’s assassination to highlight the pain caused by the release of his killer, Polish immigrant Janusz Walus last year, saying they were “re-traumatised” by the democratic court system.
Addressing the 30th anniversary of the commemoration of the assassination of the uMkhonto weSizwe chief of staff and SACP general secretary, Limpho said the Constitutional Court had made reference to “a sorry letter” from Walus she had not responded to when it ordered the release of the murderer on parole.
“I never received a letter from Walus nor from the chief justice. I don’t know what letter they were talking about,” she said.
Limpho said Justice Raymond Zondo, who delivered the unanimous judgment in November, 2022 felt she did not answer to the letter “from the killer who was a nice fellow and (who was) owed a privilege to be released early from a life sentence”.
Limpho said Hani’s killer would never be forgiven.
“We strongly hold the view that his killer will kill again. Who among us will be a victim?” she asked about Walus, who she said would profit through books and films.
“The system enabled this criminal to continue with his life, as if he did not take my husband from me and as though he did not take a comrade from you (the SACP),” Limpho said.
She said Hani’s life should be worth something in the country’s courts of law.
“The killer is free and the opportunity for the full truth of the Chris Hani assassination is buried, and lost completely,” she said.
She took a swipe at Justice Zondo for his recent statement at an OR Tambo memorial lecture at the University of Fort Hare, where he reportedly said “sheltering corrupt figures in the government or public institutions destroyed the values and foundation on which former leaders like Oliver Tambo built South Africa”.
Limpho said it was unheard of for Justice Zondo to say that Oliver Tambo was turning in his grave because of corruption taking place under the ANC-led government.
“We know that Tambo is our leader.
He can’t talk for Tambo. We can talk about Tambo as the ANC leader, not Zondo. Tambo turned in his grave on the day he (Zondo) released Hani’s killer,” she said.
“He (Zondo) is using Tambo’s name to justify insults to the ANC and I take exception (to that). Zondo can’t paint us with the same brush. We are not twins and (we) don’t think alike.”
Limpho insisted that “Walus’s parole was unfair and unwarranted”.
“All we are demanding is that crimes against our families be fully repaid and that we are made to feel safe,” she said.
Also speaking at the commemoration, SACP general secretary Solly Mapaila said the party had launched an online petition for the re-opening of an inquest into Hani’s assassination. “We were forced to go to an online petition.
“How dare for instance a revolutionary movement that lost one of its finest (leaders) sits having done nothing?” Mapaila asked in a rhetorical question directed at the ANC.
He said they made the request to every minister for the re-opening of an inquest.
“We have to resort to an online petition because we are prepared to take action against the minister in court if he can’t implement this petition,” Mapaila said.
“We want this inquest... We want the truth on who murdered our general secretary,” he said.
Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa, speaking on behalf of Deputy President Paul Mashatile, said Hani’s life was cut short by a criminal who came to the country as an asylum seeker.
“If Chris Hani was alive today, despite the many challenges, he would have inspired us not to lose hope.
“In his memory we must recommit ourselves to the aspirations of the Freedom Charter,” Kodwa said.
ANC first deputy secretary-general Nomvula Mokonyane said South Africa was free because of Hani and others who lost their lives in the liberation Struggle.
“We must continue to pursue the goal of a better life for our people.
Comrade Chris would have expected nothing less from us,” Mokonyane said.
Cosatu president Zingiswa Losi said the wounds were still deep and the scars had not healed.
“As we seek to honour the memory of Chris, we should ground our thoughts and actions in the struggles of our people,” Losi said.
Cape Times