Prison authorities confirm killer of anti-apartheid leader Chris Hani was attacked by a fellow inmate ahead of his release on parole
29 November 2022 - 18:36
UPDATED 29 November 2022 - 23:00
byHENDRIK HANCKE
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Janusz Waluś, the killer of anti-apartheid leader Chris Hani nearly three decades ago, was stabbed in prison and is receiving treatment, prison authorities said on Tuesday.
Waluś, a Polish citizen, was granted parole by the Constitutional Court last week.
The decision was met with fierce criticism and protests across the country. He was due to be released on parole on Thursday.
“Inmate Waluś is stable and DCS healthcare officials are providing the necessary care,” the department of correctional services (DCS) said in a statement.
He was stabbed by another inmate from the same prison housing unit, the department said, without providing further details on the incident or the identity of the stabber.
Soldier
An insider who declined to be named told Business Day’s sister newspaper Sowetan that Waluś was stabbed by a former soldier.
“The guy who stabbed Waluś is a former soldier of the SA National Defence Force, but has a political history because when we had a family day and we wanted to support him in his ConCourt case, the guy was opposed to it. He said Waluś killed his comrade,” the insider.
A warden, who also declined to be named, confirmed that Waluś was stabbed and extra security had been deployed to the prison.
Hani, a senior member of the now-governing ANC and head of the SA Communist Party at the time, was shot by Waluś outside the anti-apartheid activist’s home in 1993.
His killing triggered nationwide riots that threatened to derail the country’s transition to multi-racial democracy after decades of white minority rule under apartheid.
Emigrated
Waluś had emigrated from then-communist Poland in 1981 and became involved in far-right politics in SA.
He was sentenced to death for the murder but the sentence was commuted to life after SA abolished the death penalty.
Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi on Monday granted residence to Waluś so that he could serve his parole period in the country.
The conditions attached to the extension of permanent residence for his parole period of two years include that he will not be able to use any document to travel to Poland, his native country, the ministry said.
“The minister has granted Mr Waluś an exemption in terms of section 31(2)(b) of the Immigration Act 13 of 2002, the rights of permanent residence for the parole period and conditions to be imposed by the minister of justice and correctional services,” a statement released on behalf of Motsoaledi said on Monday.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Waluś stabbed in prison before release on parole
Prison authorities confirm killer of anti-apartheid leader Chris Hani was attacked by a fellow inmate ahead of his release on parole
Janusz Waluś, the killer of anti-apartheid leader Chris Hani nearly three decades ago, was stabbed in prison and is receiving treatment, prison authorities said on Tuesday.
Waluś, a Polish citizen, was granted parole by the Constitutional Court last week.
The decision was met with fierce criticism and protests across the country. He was due to be released on parole on Thursday.
“Inmate Waluś is stable and DCS healthcare officials are providing the necessary care,” the department of correctional services (DCS) said in a statement.
He was stabbed by another inmate from the same prison housing unit, the department said, without providing further details on the incident or the identity of the stabber.
Soldier
An insider who declined to be named told Business Day’s sister newspaper Sowetan that Waluś was stabbed by a former soldier.
“The guy who stabbed Waluś is a former soldier of the SA National Defence Force, but has a political history because when we had a family day and we wanted to support him in his ConCourt case, the guy was opposed to it. He said Waluś killed his comrade,” the insider.
A warden, who also declined to be named, confirmed that Waluś was stabbed and extra security had been deployed to the prison.
Hani, a senior member of the now-governing ANC and head of the SA Communist Party at the time, was shot by Waluś outside the anti-apartheid activist’s home in 1993.
His killing triggered nationwide riots that threatened to derail the country’s transition to multi-racial democracy after decades of white minority rule under apartheid.
Emigrated
Waluś had emigrated from then-communist Poland in 1981 and became involved in far-right politics in SA.
He was sentenced to death for the murder but the sentence was commuted to life after SA abolished the death penalty.
Home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi on Monday granted residence to Waluś so that he could serve his parole period in the country.
The conditions attached to the extension of permanent residence for his parole period of two years include that he will not be able to use any document to travel to Poland, his native country, the ministry said.
“The minister has granted Mr Waluś an exemption in terms of section 31(2)(b) of the Immigration Act 13 of 2002, the rights of permanent residence for the parole period and conditions to be imposed by the minister of justice and correctional services,” a statement released on behalf of Motsoaledi said on Monday.
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