Limpho Hani, widow of Chris Hani.
Alaister Russell, Gallo Images, Sunday Times
The Constitutional Court has unanimously dismissed efforts by Chris Hani’s widow, Limpho, and the SACP to persuade him to reconsider ordering the release of his killer, Janusz Walus.
In a three-page ruling, the high court said it had “concluded that the application should be dismissed because the applicants failed to present a case for termination reconsideration.”
In a highly unusual move, the Constitutional Court later explained the reasons behind this decision.
He said that he had “observed that there was a lot of overlap between the presentations of the Minister [of Correctional Services Ronald Lamola in regards to Walus’ parole] and those of the applicants [Limpho Hani and the SACP] and these were properly considered.
READ | ‘Zondo has failed this country’: Limpho Hani criticizes ConCourt order granting Janusz Walus parole
“In particular, on the only two factors on the basis of which the Minister had refused Mr. Walus’ parole application, the submissions of the Minister and the applicants were essentially the same. The Minister never relied on the fact that that Mr. Walus’s SA citizenship had been revoked to argue that Mr. Walus should not be granted parole.
“The fact that Mr. Walus never made a full disclosure to the TRC was not one of the factors that needed to be considered in terms of department policy or the Correctional Services Act in determining whether parole should be granted.” .
The high court also dismissed the request by Limpho Hani and the SACP to stay their release order for Walus until their request for reconsideration is finalized.
Walus was, in any case, released on parole on Wednesday.
This is a developing story.
We live in a world where fact and fiction blur.
In uncertain times, you need journalism you can trust. For 14 free days, you can have access to a world of in-depth analysis, investigative journalism, featured opinions, and a variety of features. Journalism strengthens democracy. Invest in the future today. Thereafter, you will be billed R75 per month. You can cancel at any time and if you cancel within 14 days, you will not be billed.
