By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula says the late South African Communist Party (SACP) leader Chris Hani epitomised morality and good leadership.
“Comrade Chris Hani was the epitome of revolutionary morality, whose heart and mind were always one with the toiling masses of our people.”
Hani was killed by a Polish immigrant Janus Walusz on this day in 1993.
The ANC, SACP and the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), and the South African National Civics Organisation (Sanco) layed wreaths at Hani’s grave at the Thomas Nkobi Memorial Park in Boksburg.
The event was organised by the Ekurhuleni Municipality.
“Comrade Chris Hani would have undoubtedly appreciated the gravity of domestic and international challenges arrayed against our national transformation agenda, and would have provided ideological and political clarity on how to navigate them,” he added.
Mbalula further said Hani would be shocked that a former leader has formed a splinter party and was challenging the ruling party at the polls.
Without mentioning former president by name, Mbalula said Jacob Zuma was given two terms to lead both the ANC and the country, but has jumped ship to lead another party.
He added that, Hani would be shocked by some people who are disputing the fact that uMkhonto weSizwe was formed in 1961 by both the ANC and the South African Communist Party (SACP). It was the military wing of the ANC.
Mbalula said Hani would be disappointed about how facts have been twisted on the history of MK to suit a particular narrative.
“Chris Hani would therefore be shocked and disappointed to know that some today have elected to dispute the historical fact that the MK was formed by the ANC and the SACP as an armed wing of the ANC.”
The ANC has been involved in legal battles with the MK party led by Zuma.
The MK party won its application in the Electoral Court for Zuma to contest the elections.
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) said it was waiting for the court to furnish it with reasons for its decision to allow Zuma to stand in the elections.
The widow of the late SACP leader, Dimpho Hani has criticised the current government, stating that it has failed her husband and the people.
She lamented the lack of political will to address the country’s challenges, slamming the need for stage 16 load-shedding.
Hani has also criticised Eskom’s lack of planning, citing the hefty expenditure of 35-billion-rand on diesel.
She has expressed her lifelong loyalty to the African National Congress (ANC) but says it needs to correct its mistakes.
SACP Spokesperson Dr Alex Mashilo said that as much as they celebrate the achievements of the democratic government, they acknowledge that a lot still needs to be done.
“There are certain things that Chris Hani wanted to see. In defining socialism in simple terms, he said it is about housing for the people, health for the people, and education for the people. We know that millions of our people benefitted from homes built and allocated to them for free by the state. In 1994, we had approximately 8.9 million people who were employed and in 2023, we had 16.7 million people who are employed – that is a huge increase. These are the things that we will be reflecting upon. We need to defend our democratic gains; this is how we want to remember Chris Hani.”
SACP General Secretary Solly Mapaila said the party has already collected signatures in an online petition for the establishment of an inquest into the death of Hani.
“This is one of the reasons we still want the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. It is for this same reason, among others, that we stood with the family until the end against every application that the assassins made for parole.”
“It is for the same reason that we initiated a signature campaign for an inquest into all the circumstances of the assassination of Chris Hani.
“Let us recall. The murder weapon used in the assassination of Chris Hani was taken from military armoury. Who took it? Whose hands was it conveyed through, one by one, towards its destination where the gun was used to commit the assassination?”
“These are some of the many questions that must be answered through an inquest to hold every person who had prior knowledge or role in the assassination accountable.”