Deportation of Far-Right Extremist Convicted in Chris Hani’s Murder

The government has announced that Janusz Walus, a 71-year-old infamous far-right extremist found guilty of murdering South African anti-apartheid hero Chris Hani, is scheduled for deportation to his home country, Poland. Walus fatally shot Hani in 1993 outside Hani’s residence, during a volatile period as South Africa was preparing for its inaugural multi-racial elections. Walus served nearly three decades in a South African prison prior to his release on parole in 2022, a decision that ignited protests and widespread public condemnation within a country still contending with the enduring impact of racism and apartheid. According to Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber, Walus is slated to depart South Africa on Friday night, with the Polish government covering the costs of his deportation. Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, South African Minister in the Presidency, clarified that the government did not initiate this decision but was complying with a ruling issued by the Constitutional Court. Minister Schreiber also posted on X, describing the day as “painful” and a recollection of the “dark time” of apartheid for the people of South Africa. Limpho Hani, Hani’s widow, expressed her profound distress, criticizing both the government and the South African Communist Party (SACP) for informing her of the development only at the eleventh hour. She stated that she received notification of Walus’s release solely on Thursday. Chris Hani was a pivotal figure in the African National Congress (ANC), which spearheaded the struggle against white-minority rule and has governed the nation continuously since then, and also served as the leader of the South African Communist Party. Following his assassination, he has been honored as a champion of the nation’s pursuit of freedom and equality. The ANC acknowledged the suffering inflicted by Hani’s murder, stating that Walus’s release served as a reminder of “the bullet that pierced through our hearts, assassinating a father and comrade”. The statement continued, “Your dastardly hand drips of the blood of a martyr and freedom fighter who paid the ultimate price for the freedom and love for humanity, democracy, and justice.” Walus relocated from Poland to South Africa in 1981 and obtained citizenship, which was subsequently rescinded following his conviction for murder. He, along with his co-defendant Clive Derby-Lewis, initially received a death sentence, but this was later reduced to a life sentence after South Africa abolished capital punishment. During a 1997 appearance before the Truth and Reconciliation Commission tribunal, Walus testified that he murdered Hani “to plunge the country into a state of chaos which would allow the right to take over”. Walus also stated that his background in communist Poland influenced his choice to assassinate Hani. At that juncture, the nation was highly anxious, as South Africa approached the conclusion of apartheid, its discriminatory system of white-minority governance. ANC leader Nelson Mandela had been freed from prison in 1990 and was engaged in discussions with apartheid leaders regarding the termination of white rule and the organization of elections. Concurrently, certain segments of the white community harbored concerns about potential civil unrest and a collapse of law and order. Many people apprehended that Hani’s assassination could ignite a race war. Some observers contend that the event almost jeopardized South Africa’s shift to democracy, which materialized the subsequent year. During a press briefing, ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula asserted that Walus had “deprived South Africa of one of its greatest leaders”. He further stated that Walus’s deportation without a “full confession of his actions and conspiracies is an injustice”. Mbalula advocated for a thorough investigation into the murder to “expose the full scope of the crime”. The South African Communist Party has expressed similar views. Walus has emerged as a notorious personality within far-right circles in Poland. His likeness has appeared on scarves, T-shirts, and posters, with such merchandise even being available for purchase in South Africa. A journalist who conducted an interview with Walus for a publication reported that extremists in Poland regarded him as “the great hope of the white race”. Walus has consistently shown no regret for Hani’s murder.