By Gift Sebiloane
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Pretoria, South Africa – Janusz Walus, the man convicted of assassinating anti-apartheid activist and African National Congress (ANC) leader Chris Hani in 1993, is set to be deported to his native Poland.
The decision comes after his controversial release on parole in December 2022, having served almost 30 years of a life sentence for the murder that shook South Africa and nearly derailed its transition to democracy.
Sipho Dlamini, a veteran ANC member who participated in the anti-apartheid struggle, is among key voices lamenting the news.
“This man should have never been released. He took away a father, a husband, and a leader who dedicated his life to fighting for freedom,” Dlamini said an interview with the SABC News, adding: “This feels like a betrayal of everything we fought for.”
Walus, a Polish immigrant with ties to far-right extremist groups, shot and killed Hani outside his home in Boksburg on April 10, 1993. The assassination triggered widespread outrage and protests, threatening the delicate negotiations between the ANC and the apartheid government that ultimately led to the end of white minority rule.
The decision to grant Walus parole was met with fierce opposition from Hani’s widow, Limpho Hani, the ANC, and various civil society organisations. They argued that he had not shown genuine remorse for his crime and that his release would stir up old tensions and undermine reconciliation efforts.
“Walus’s deportation is a necessary step to ensure stability and prevent further unrest,” stated Justice Minister Ronald Lamola in a media briefing outside Hani’s home in Dawn Park, Ekurhuleni on Friday (December 6).
“While we acknowledge the pain and anger this case evokes, we must uphold the rule of law and the decisions of our judicial system,” added Lamola.
The South African government, however, has defended the decision, citing legal procedures and the parole board’s assessment that Walus met the requirements for release. The deportation order further emphasises that Walus’s continued presence in South Africa is undesirable, given the potential for renewed unrest and security concerns.
Walus’s deportation brings to a close a painful chapter in South Africa’s history, though the wounds of Hani’s assassination remain deep. The case continues to raise questions about justice, reconciliation, and the legacy of apartheid in a society still grappling with its past.
