Remembering Hani 28 years on
YESTERDAY, April 10, marked 28 years since the cold-blooded assassination of Thembisile “Chris” Hani.
Thembisile adopted the name “Chris” from his younger brother, Nkosana Christopher Hani. Hani and his two brothers were raised in the rural Eastern Cape’s Sabalele village by their parents, Gilbert “Dafulane” and Nomayisi Nomtikodwa Mary Hani.
I pen this piece with a very heavy heart, not yet sure whether it might be one of those pieces of writing I start but later abandon.
Imagine us, the family, listening to Radio Xhosa in rural Sabalele on the morning of April 10, 1993 when a news bulletin announced the shooting of the SACP general secretary.
Shocked would not be the apt word. The media spread the lo mphanga (death announcement) well before the entire family had known.
Holding back tears, I rushed outside to tell my mother, Nolusapho.
“They have killed Tatophakathi, Mama!”
I frantically looked around for my father, Mbuyiselo, Hani’s elder brother.
I was advised to tell my father that Hani was seriously injured. I failed.
When I found my father at a Amatshonyane family homestead gathering, all I could say was: “The Boers have killed Tato Phakathi!”
The sun set then, even though it was midday. The entire village was sombre and in tears. Grief beguiled us all.
Some were in denial until then-de facto president Nelson Mandela arrived in Sabalele to confirm the tragic news.
Indeed, Janusz Walus, a Polish immigrant, had cowardly shot Hani twice in front of his 15 year-old daughter, Nomakhwezi.
The act left gaping wounds in all of us as a family. The pain was exacerbated by the fact that Hani was the same man who had survived countless assassination attempts on his life, far away in exile, only to die at home.
The latter development remains a bitter pill to swallow, especially because of the many political conspiracy theories about his death stubbornly
remaining.
That trigger-happy assassin and self-confessed anti-communist took away a father, uncle, husband, brother, teacher, mentor and a humble adorable patriotic leader.
The worldwide reaction to the sudden fall of this giant son of the soil humbled us and ameliorated some of the pain. He was indeed a man among men, as we usually say in our vernacular. The overwhelming messages of support evinced that many people from different walks of life loved comrade Hani, albeit the well-documented passionate hatred from some small pockets who benefited from the atrocious status quo of apartheid oppression. The latter hated him for
his astute and unequivocal political beliefs which he boldly stated and actioned consistently on all platforms, without fear of contradiction.
My first contact with Hani was during a secretly arranged telephone conversation back in 1986 when I was a Standard 8 (Grade 6) learner at the then Zingisa Seminary, a Roman Catholic school for aspiring priests. The school was in Mthatha, in the former Transkei homeland.
The trunk call was made when we arrived at Matiwane flats, which I assumed was Ntsizwa’s residence. For the first time, the man narrowly and mischievously branded a “dangerous wanted terrorist”, or umnqolobi by the apartheid regime, greeted me in an affable voice and enquired whether I knew who I was talking to.
He never minced his words about the urgency of overthrowing the regime and ultimately coming home. I could hear the change in the tone of his voice. He sounded resolute and gave me specific tasks to discharge. One of them was to collaborate with the comrades I assumed he had assigned to locate me in order to arrange for his mother to visit him in Zambia.
In 1989, I had successfully arranged travel documents with assistance of a local headman, Dalingozi Gqobhoza. The latter reluctantly accompanied me to Cofimvaba and the tasks were carried. He emphasised that he was looking forward to Thembisile’s return home.
The earlier telephone conversation with Hani left an impression of a man who was concerned about not only the welfare of his family, but other ordinary people as well. While in exile, he and his wife ensured that their daughters, Neo, Nomakhwezi and Lindiwe, visited home, in Sabalele.
Hani’s family was in Lesotho then. We cherished those moments with our cousins but, at that stage, we, as children, could not really comprehend the precarious conditions of the man most wanted by the regime. I remember their good hearts and discipline even though the visit was short.
People who worked with Hani in Umkhonto We Sizwe (MK), the ANC and the SACP have described him as an embodiment of the alliance, a leader who exuded great charisma, generosity and humility, an inventive, diligent genius who was committed, empathic and courageous.
He is said to have known all MK soldiers by their names, a rare trait in leadership. Former MK combatants I have had the privilege to meet, revered Hani, not because of the various leadership positions he held but because of his humility, humanity, discipline, persuasiveness and courage in abundance. The traits earned him great respect and endeared him to his fellow combatants.
I had the rare privilege to stay with him for a short time at Enkululekweni, Mthatha, a former ministerial residence for cabinet ministers of the former Transkei. This was at the time the De Klerk regime had not renewed the provisional amnesty for some ANC leaders, including Hani.
May the undying spirit of Thembisile “Chris” Martin Hani continue to illuminate the vigour to fight against corruption, gender-based violence and many other socio-economic inequalities in our beloved land.
The struggles for the return of the land and free education must be intensified on all fronts.
Mphatheli Hani writes in his personal capacity.
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