Do not impose reconciliation on us, says Panyaza Lesufi on Janusz Walus parole

Gauteng ANC chairperson Panyaza Lesufi said Janusz Walus, the assassin who killed Chris Hani in 1993, should know he caused South Africans pain that could not be healed.

Lesufi, Gauteng’s premier, led a protest in the Pretoria CBD today by members of the ANC supported by the SACP and Cosatu.

He said the protesters were also voicing concern over the recent vandalism of the Chris Hani Memorial Site at the Thomas Nkobi Cemetery in Boksburg.

“We have statues here of apartheid leaders and nothing has happened to them. We are human. What is the purpose of destroying them? Nothing. But they continue to destroy symbols that represent post-apartheid freedom. We take note of that, but we will proceed,” said Lesufi.

“Do not impose reconciliation on us. Reconciliation is a process and that particular process must be thoroughly followed and there must be a part where people must come clean and declare their interests.”

He said when Walus walks out of prison, it must be a “walk of shame”.

The ANC in Gauteng has declared today the Martin Thembisile Chris Hani Day of Action, marching to the Kgosi Mampuru Prison where Walus is jailed, ahead of his release.

Dubbed “Don’t kill Chris Hani again”, the ANC protest was attended by a crowd and brought parts of the Pretoria CBD to a standstill.

“The assassination of Comrade Chris Hani was tantamount to treason and remains one of the most painful occurrences in our country’s trajectory and fight for freedom, robbing our country of one of its greatest sons,” said ANC Gauteng provincial secretary Thembinkosi Nciza.

“Occurring at the height of the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (Codesa) negotiations, the assassination of Comrade Chris Hani brought our country to the brink of civil war, and emboldened the neo-Nazi, white-supremacist and racist right-wing element, which deepened its targeted violence against black people.”

Walus, set to be released from the Pretoria prison on Thursday, was stabbed by an inmate on Tuesday.

The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) said Walus was in stable condition.

Correctional Services spokesperson Singabakho Nxumalo said: “A detailed incident report is to be provided at a later stage, but what can be stated at this point is that inmate Walus is stable and DCS health-care officials are providing the necessary care.”

Nxumalo said the stabbing would be investigated.

Last week the Constitutional Court ordered the Polish immigrant be released on parole.

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said he had granted an exemption in order for Walus to remain in the country and to serve his parole in South Africa.

In a statement issued on Monday afternoon, the minister said the exemption contained a condition that Walus may not use any travel document and/or passport issued by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland to return to the country of his origin.

Walus’s lawyer Julian Knight said the decision was unfair.