Chris Hani Killer Janusz Waluz Stabbed in Prison After Being Granted Permanent Residence for Parole Period

Chris Hani’s killer Janusz Walus was stabbed in prison on Tuesday, and is receiving treatment, according to authorities. “Inmate Walus is stable and DCS healthcare officials are providing the necessary care,” the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) said in a statement.

Walus was stabbed by another inmate from the same housing unit, the department said, without providing further details on the incident or the identity of the stabber.

Earlier in the day, the Department of Home Affairs announced it has granted Janusz Waluz permanent residence in South Africa for the period of his parole with conditions to be imposed by the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services which will prevent him moving to Poland as has been speculated by some media houses.

Waluz (also sometimes called Walus or Valus) has been serving a prison sentence for assassinating the South African Communist Party leader Chris Hani on 10 April 1993. Hani was one of the most popular leaders of the anti-apartheid movements after Nelson Mandela. He was shot in cold blood outside his home in Boksburg after he went to fetch the morning papers.

The 69-year-old and his co-conspirator, Clive Derby-Lewis, were both sentenced to death, but the sentences were commuted to life imprisonment. Derby-Lewis was given medical parole in mid-2015, and passed away the following year at the age of 80.

Last week the Constitutional Court found that the decision by Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola to deny Walus parole in 2020 was irrational and ordered that he be released on parole within 10 days.

“In line with the undertaking made by the Minister of Home Affairs [Aaron Motsoaledi] and accepted by Mr Janusz Walus during the High Court proceedings in November 2020, the Minister has granted Mr Walus 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,”  said the department in a statement on Monday.

The Minister granted the exemption in order for Walus, a Polish citizen, to serve his parole period in South Africa and the exemption contains a condition that he may not use any travel document and/or passport issued by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland.

According to the statement, a letter addressed to Walus and a certificate of exemption have been forwarded to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services to be delivered to Walus.

“The letter set out the exceptional circumstances requiring the granting of the exemption which, inter alia, include the fact that it would be in the interests of justice that Mr Walus serves his sentence to the fullest, including parole in the Republic of South Africa,” the department said.

The Minister, it said, has noted media speculation that Walus would serve his parole period in the Republic of Poland.

“In light of the exemption issued by the Minister, this speculation cannot be correct and the Department of Home Affairs would not be involved in any deportation process of Mr Walus to the Republic of Poland. The DHA’s stance is that Mr Walus must serve his parole period in South Africa as part of his sentence.

“The Minister of Home Affairs further believes that the heinous crime committed to the people of South Africa by murdering one of the icons of the liberation struggle makes it obligatory that Mr Walus must serve his parole period as part of sentence in the Republic of South Africa,” the department said. – SAnews.gov.za