Interview on Hani’s death haunts Gungubele
MINISTER in the Presidency for State Security Mondli Gungubele has not responded to questions relating to an old video that has raised new questions about the circumstances around the assassination of Chris Hani.
In the video, which surfaced yet again after the Constitutional Court granted parole to Hani’s killer Janusz Walus this week, the SABC interviewed Gungubele, who was the executive mayor of Ekurhuleni at the time.
The interview took place outside Hani’s home at Dawn Park, Boksburg. Independent Media first reported about it in May this year.
Gungubele then shared details of his interactions with Hani before the murder on April 10, 1993.
He said Hani told him a day before his death that he had sent his bodyguards home for the weekend. The next day, Hani was assassinated while stepping out of his vehicle at his home.
Polish assassin Walus was later arrested for the murder and has spent 29 years in prison.
This week, Chief Justice Raymond Zondo ordered his release on parole.
In the interview, Gungubele said: “In the evening on the 6th, I stayed with him at his home … as if it was prophetic, I said: ‘Even if you die tomorrow, you would have left
respected leaders.”
He added he did not know that Hani was days away from his death. “On Friday evening (on the 9th), Hani called to say: ‘Mondli, I have asked my VIP guys to go on the weekend.’
“(At) 10.20, I got a call … from Nomakhwezi (Hani’s daughter) … ‘Uncle Mondli, Uncle Mondli, come, they have shot my dad,’” Gungubele said before the interview was brought to an end. He was mayor of Ekurhuleni from 2010 to 2016.
Twitter users reacted to the clip of the interview when it resurfaced yesterday. One, @LandoNoli, wrote: “Gungubele is the last man to speak to the late SACP SG day b4 he was assassinated & knew about off days given to Hani’s bodyguards.”
The Umkhonto WeSizwe Military Veterans Association said it felt betrayed that Walus was to be released and called for the truth to be exposed.