KZN SACP members call for inquest into Chris Hani's killing

SACP members in KwaZulu-Natal have called for the Constitutional Court's decision to grant parole to Januz Walus, convicted of killing Chris Hani in 1993, to be rescinded.

A small group of SACP supporters braved the rain to picket outside the Durban magistrate's court on Monday.

Former deputy national chairperson of the Young Communist League Isaac Luthuli said they were disappointed by the failure to open an inquest into Hani's death.

“We do not care whether they may be people who are former liberation fighters who ordered that Chris Hani be killed. What we want is the truth,” said Luthuli.

During former president Thabo Mbeki's presidency, the ANC's alliance partner had raised the question of who “hatched the plot” to assassinate Hani.

“We then started a referendum. We got the signatures that were sufficient,” said Luthuli.

At the time, Jacob Zuma was deputy president under Mbeki and there was an expectation Zuma would open an inquest once he became president. 

“We cannot lay the blame on chief justice Raymond Zondo because he is just an implementer of the constitution which was agreed by all parties.”

Luthuli urged President Cyril Ramaphosa and those in authority to re-open an inquest into Hani's killing.

SACP deputy provincial secretary Bheki Shandu echoed the call for an inquest.

He said the assassins had failed to make a full disclosure at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

“We submit that the killer who killed Hani is remorseful and sincere without telling the truth,” said Shandu.

Cosatu provincial secretary Edwin Mkhize said:  “I am sure there are other people that we do not know off who were also party to the plot.”

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