ZONDO FAILS SA AS WALUS FREED
THE decision by the Constitutional Court to release former SACP leader Chris Hani’s killer, Janusz Walus, on parole, has angered his wife, Limpho Hani, and the SACP.
Hani called the judgment “diabolical”, while the SACP reacted with fury.
Yesterday, the Constitutional Court ordered the Department of Justice to free Walus on parole.
In a unanimous judgment delivered by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo, the Concourt found that the decision by Justice Minister Ronald Ramola not to grant Walus parole in 2020 was irrational. Lamola has been ordered to release Walus within 10 days of the judgment.
Speaking after the judgment was handed down, a livid and visibly upset Hani said the judgment was indirectly implying that Walus did well to kill her husband.
“If my husband was not killed, we would never have had elections. Mandela after my husband was murdered said to De Klerk for us to stop this, give us an election date. That’s why Zondo and his friends today are sitting in this court. Otherwise we would still be under apartheid; he (Zondo) would be somewhere in a shack doing his practice,” said an infuriated Hani.
Hani said Minister of Tourism Lindiwe Sisulu’s criticism of the country’s justice system had been vindicated.
“South Africans, learn to listen to black people when they tell you about justice in this country; we are in sh*t, full stop,” she said.
The Polish immigrant has been serving a life sentence at the Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre in Pretoria for killing Hani outside his home in Boksburg on April 10, 1993.
He was assisted by Clive Derby-lewis, who died in 2016. Derby-lewis was released on medical parole in 2015 after 22 years in prison for having supplied Walus with the gun that killed Hani.
The SACP’S Solly Mapaila described the judgment as sickeningly disappointing.
“The judgment does not even say anything about the submissions made by the SACP and the Chris Hani family when the court heard this matter. The assassination of Hani left a gaping wound. The judgment has rubbed salt into it,” he said.
The leader of the African Transformation Movement, Vuyo Zungula, said the decision to place Walus on parole was a slap in the face of anti-apartheid activists who were still languishing in jail.
“Apla political prisoners, who were fighting for our freedom, are still in jail with no hope of being released on parole. Janusz Walus, a racist who almost sparked civil war in South Africa, is released. The judiciary has meted out an injustice that has the potential to disrupt peace in South Africa,” he said.
The EFF issued a statement condemning the decision.
“The decision to release Walus is callous, insensitive and regressive, and is made by a self-centred collective led by Raymond Zondo, who have today spat on the graves of Chris Hani and those who died fighting for the freedom of this country,” the EFF said.
Justice Zondo said the decision made by Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Ronald Lamola, in March 2020 rejecting his application for parole would be set aside.
“The Minister of Justice and Correctional Services is ordered to place the applicant on parole on such terms and conditions that he may deem appropriate, and to take all such steps that may need to be taken to ensure that the applicant is released on parole, within 10 calendar days of this order,” said Justice Zondo.
In 1997, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s amnesty committee heard that Derby-lewis said it was hoped Hani’s death would plunge the country into chaos, allowing the right wing to seize power.