Janusz Walus, the man responsible for the assassination of former South African Communist Party (SACP) leader Chris Hani, will be deported to Poland on Friday. This follows the completion of his parole period in South Africa after a 2022 Constitutional Court ruling that overturned the justice minister’s decision to deny Walus parole in 2020.
Walus, a Polish national, had his South African citizenship revoked in 2017. However, after his release from prison in December 2022, he was granted residence in South Africa to serve a two-year parole period. With his parole period now ended, Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni confirmed that Walus would be handed over to the Department of Home Affairs for deportation.
“Since Janusz Walus no longer holds any South African enabling documents, the Department of Home Affairs will be deporting him,” said Ntshavheni at a media briefing.
Walus’s release and parole were contentious, with widespread criticism due to the severity of his crime. In 1993, Walus, alongside conservative politician Clive Derby-Lewis, planned and executed the assassination of Hani, a prominent anti-apartheid leader. Hani’s murder nearly derailed South Africa’s transition to democracy, and its impact was devastating for his family, particularly his daughter, who attempted suicide twice before her untimely death at 23.
The South African government has also received a request from Hani’s family and the SACP for an inquest into the circumstances surrounding Walus’s parole. The request has been referred to the Department of Justice for consideration.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber confirmed that the cost of Walus’s deportation would not be borne by South African taxpayers, as the Polish embassy has agreed to cover the expenses.
The 2022 Constitutional Court ruling, which granted Walus parole after 28 years in prison, cited rehabilitation as a key factor. While the court acknowledged the gravity of the crime, it emphasized that the aim of imprisonment was to rehabilitate offenders, allowing them to reintegrate into society. However, the ruling has sparked ongoing debate due to the serious nature of Walus’s crime and the deep scars it left on South Africa’s history.