Chris Hani’s killer, Janusz Walus, will be sent back to his home country of Poland by the Department of Home Affairs on Friday.
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni announced this at a media briefing at GCIS Media House in Hatfield, Pretoria.
She was joined by Mmamoloko Kubayi, the minister of justice and constitutional development; Leon Schreiber, the minister of home affairs; and national commissioner of correctional services Makgothi Thobakgale.
Ntshavheni said Walus’ parole period ended on Friday, December 6, leading to his deportation to Poland.
On December 7 2022, Walus was released from the Kgosi Mampuru Correctional Facility in Pretoria on parole, with the agreement that he would serve two years in community corrections.
Death sentence commuted to life imprisonment
Walus killed Hani, the general secretary of the South African Communist Party (SACP), on April 10 1993.
On October 15 1993, Walus received a death sentence for Hani’s assassination. However, his sentence was commuted to life in prison on November 7 2000.
Since 2011, Walus’ parole applications have been rejected by multiple correctional services ministers.
In accordance with applicable legislation, the Constitutional Court placed him on parole within 10 days of the order’s date on November 21, 2022.
At the time, the applicable parole period was two years.
“Today, the 6th of December 2024, the parole period of Janus Walus has come to an end in line with the Constitutional Court decision,” said Ntshavheni.
“Since Janus Walus no longer holds any South African enabling documents, the Department of Home Affairs will be deporting him.
“This morning, the national commissioner of correctional services will formally hand over Janus Walus to the Department of Home Affairs for deportation.”
Request for an inquest
Ntshavheni stated that after a cabinet briefing earlier this week, the national joint operational and intelligence structure is in charge of the handover and deportation procedure.
In preparation of Walus’ deportation, the cabinet designated Ntshavheni, Kubayi, Schreiber, and Deputy President Paul Mashatile to visit Hani’s family and notify them of his killer’s deportation.
“During this engagement, the government delegation received a request for an inquest from Mr Hani’s wife and the SACP,” Ntshavheni said.
“The request will be referred to the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.”
