By Simon Nare
Liberation struggle hero Chris Hani’s convicted murderer Janusz Walus will be departed on Friday to his native country Poland after serving out his parole, the government has announced.
Minister in The Presidency Khmbudzo Ntshavheni and relevant ministers told reporters in Pretoria that Walus would be handed over to the Home Affairs Department and the process would be overseen by the National Joint Operation and Intelligence Structure.
The minister said that since Walus’ dual citizenship was revoked after he was convicted of assassinating Hani, he no longer had any documentation that qualified him to stay in the country.
His parole comes to an end on Friday, which would make him a free man and not be constrained by the parole conditions.
Ntshavheni said Hani’s widow, Mpho, was briefed about the deportation and she in turn had made a request for an inquest into her husband’s assassination and had shed some information to the government delegation.
Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi said that the request for an inquest was made both by Hani and the SACP. The government would look into the matter.
“What the process will be is that we will engage with them. We will take the process, look at the legal framework and we believe that there is evidence that could have led to a different conclusion.
“There are things that they believe were not looked into, but they shared with us in the meeting. So we will definitely have to take that up with the various bodies that are responsible for this work and we will in touch with the family together with the family in this regard,” said Kubayi.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Shreiber said Walus’ deportation would not be paid for by taxpayers’ money as the Polish embassy had undertaken to carry the costs.
Ntshavheni said Mpho Hani’s pain was understandable given the manner in which her husband was killed, and the government shared her pain.
She pointed out that the decision to grant Walus parole was the decision of the Constitutional Court and the government had to abide by the decision.
She added that several correctional ministers have over the years turned down his application to be released on parole until the matter was taken to the apex court.
“So, this is not a decision of the government, this is the decision of the Constitutional Court and we are merely abiding by that decision.
“Why they (Mpho Hani and SACP) request for an inquest is because there are many questions for the family and South Africans in general that remain unanswered and as government, we appreciate the pain of mme Mpho Hani and her children and South Africans at large,” she said.
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