It’s thirty years since South African anti-apartheid firebrand Chris Hani was assassinated, nearly plunging the country into civil war. Still, has the full truth emerged?

The Communist Party of South Africa, which retains an alliance with the ruling African National Congress (ANC), is demanding that an investigation is reopened to question Chris Hani’s killer Janusz Walus.

The murderer is still alive and living in South Africa. He escaped death late last year after being stabbed by a fellow inmate days before being released on parole in early December.

Since the assassination attempt, the 69-year-old Pole has been silent — one of the conditions for his parole, Correspondent.World has been told by his parole lawyer Julian Knight. The lawyer claimed Walus had told the parole hearing all he knew about the murder, which has been at the behest of a hard-right Conservative member of Parliament, Clive Derby-Lewis.

Walus’s parole period lasts two years from the date of his release, after which he may be deported back to his native Poland.

Communist Party leader Solly Mapaila said at least 20 thousand signatures had ben collected in a petition supporting an official investigation.

Speaking at the memorial park named after Hani in Germiston on Monday 10 April, Hani said that according to the South African courts, her husband’s killer had suddenly been transformed into a nice person who deserved to be released early.

“This system allowed this criminal to continue with life while he took away my husband and your comrade. Surely Chris’ life should be worth something to the country and law,” Hani said.

Walus was released after the Constitutional Court ordered the Justice Minister Ronald Lamola to reverse his decision to kep Walus in jail.

Walus will not be allowed to leave South Africa as part of his parole conditions.

In her lengthy address on Monday, Hani’s widow lambasted Chief Justice Raymond Zondo for ruling in favour of Walus’ release.

“Zondo did not care. This time our hearts are broken. Those in power say that our loss is too little and that the killer of our family and dreams meant more.

” I do not accept that we must just get over it, ” she said. “Parole was unfair and unwarranted.

“Parole was unfair and unwarranted.This is not an event for us, it’s a lifetime of hell on Earth,” she added.

The ANC Premier of the most powerful region of South Africa, Gauteng (which includes Pretoria, Joahannesburg, Soweto and Boksburg) also expressed disappointment that while Hani was murdered Walus was set free.

See also “Chis Hani Ghosts

“To the Hani family, Communist Party and our alliance partners, Janusz will never know peace until he visits his own grave,” Panyaza Lesufi said.

Also present at the commemoration was Minister Zizi Kodwa, SACP veteran Blade Nzimande, members of Parliament and the ambassadors of China, Vietnam, Palestine and Cuba.

The Communist Party (SACP) had opposed his release on parole.

Some wild theories for the killing abound. One points to the involvement of the ANC, which could have been embarrassed by Chris Hani’s popularity. Others blame ‘Vlakplaas’, a secret unit of the apartheid regime’s death squads.