The memorial site of the late SACP General Secretary Chris Hani in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, has been vandalized.
- The ANC in Gauteng has condemned the vandalism of the Chris Hani memorial site in Ekurhuleni.
- The city of Ekurhuleni said the incident was reported on Monday morning.
- A spokesperson added that police were investigating it.
The ANC in Gauteng says it regrets that Chris Hani’s grave, memorial and Walk of Remembrance in Ekurhuleni have been vandalized.
On Monday, the party said the vandalism of the Thomas Nkobi cemetery in Boksburg occurred during a difficult time in South Africa’s history, following a Constitutional Court ruling ordering the release of his killer, Janusz Walus.
The ruling inspired “collective rage” among South Africans who disagreed with it, ANC spokesman Lesego Makhubela said.
Makhubela added that it would encourage further racial divisions and embolden those who regarded Walus as a hero.
READ | Hani’s killer Janusz Walus must serve his sentence ‘to the fullest’ in South Africa – Home Affairs
He called on the Ekurhuleni municipality to protect the national heritage site and for the police to arrest those responsible for its destruction.
In a joint statement, the national ANC, Cosatu and the SACP, of which Hani was the leader, said the vandalism of Hani’s grave was a continuation of his murder from the grave.
They added that the ruling had divided South Africa again in the same way when he was assassinated in April 1993.
The trial pleased the unrepentant perpetrators of apartheid, who celebrated, while the family of the victim, Chris Hani, and other victims of apartheid were hurt and deeply disappointed. This is how South Africa has now been redivided. In this context, the attack on the Chris Hani memorial site occurred, which posed a threat to social stability, just as the murder of Chris Hani did.
“The vandalism of the Chris Hani memorial is not simply a case of destruction of infrastructure, but the destruction of protected national heritage that serves both as a site of memory and as a resource for the preservation of an important component of our liberation story. country”. Makhubela said.
Ekurhuleni city spokesman Mzwandile Dlamini said the incident was reported on Monday morning and referred to the metropolitan police for investigation.
Dlamini added that the timing of the incident was worrying as it came after the high court ruling.
He said that vandalism would not erase Hani’s legacy.
“Such incidents are extremely regrettable. The city is doing everything possible to preserve its rich heritage, but it seems that there are people who are hell-bent on making sure this doesn’t happen. Our people should take pride in such facilities, rather than destroy them.” .”
