Limpho Hani after laying a wreath for Chris Hani on Monday, 10 April 2023. – Photo by Felix Dlangamandla/ dailymaverick.co.za

By Staff Reporters

Three decades have come and gone, yet the scales of justice remain unbalanced. The passage of time has failed to bring closure to those who seek retribution. The wheels of justice have ground to a halt, leaving a bitter taste in the mouths of those who yearn for vindication.

On Easter Monday, South Africa commemorated the 30th anniversary of the tragic assassination of Chris Hani. The event was marked by calls for a renewed investigation into the murder, which nearly sparked a race war in the country.

During the commemoration ceremony, the South African Communist Party (SACP) stood firm in its call for a thorough investigation into the heinous slaying of the revered anti- apartheid activist.

The SACP has taken the initiative to rally support for its cause by launching a petition.

On the 10th of April 1993, Chris Hani, who also served as the chief-of-staff of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing of the African National Congress (ANC), was brutally assassinated by gunfire at his residence in Boksburg.

In a highly publicised case that had a significant impact on the country, Janusz Waluś, an immigrant from Poland, was convicted of committing the brutal murder. Clive Derby-Lewis, his accomplice, was also sentenced to life imprisonment. Nevertheless, Derby-Lewis was ultimately granted release on medical grounds and subsequently passed away in 2016. After a prolonged period of imprisonment, Waluś was eventually granted parole in November 2022.

On a solemn Easter Monday, the Ekurhuleni municipality organized a commemorative event at the Thomas Nkobi Memorial Park in Elsburg.

Amidst the poignant atmosphere, Limpho Hani, the beloved spouse of Chris Hani, expressed her concerns regarding the failure of the country’s leaders to uphold Hani’s legacy and the betrayal of the trust of South Africans.

Limpho Hani, a former member of the ANC and a current member of the SACP, expressed her frustration with the response of Vusi Pikoli, the former head of the National Prosecuting Authority when she and other SACP leaders requested the reopening of the murder case.

Limpho’s words were a fiery eruption of anguish and indignation as she expressed her deep disappointment in Pikoli’s response, which she deemed as a flagrant affront to the treasured legacy of her late husband and his family.

She said she was taken aback by Pikoli’s response, deeming it to be beyond unexpected. She said to label it as merely surprising would be a gross understatement, for it was a response that defied all expectations.

“To say his response shocked me is an understatement. I am not a police officer… there are no police officers in the SACP… but there was Mr Pikoli who demanded that we give him new evidence,” she told the gathered dignitaries.

Her words cut deep as she bravely called out the South African government for its unforgivable betrayal of her family. Her statement was a poignant reminder of the pain and suffering that has been inflicted upon the Hani family.

“The democratic government, which my husband died for, has betrayed Chris and his family by releasing his assassin.

“I don’t have closure, that is why I am wearing black today. Until such time the truth comes out I am in mourning for life,” said Limpho.