South African Government deports Janusz Jakub Walus to Poland following ConCourt Decision 2022

On 10 April 1993, convicted murderer Janus Waluz assassinated Mr Chris Hani who was the General Secretary of the South African Communist Party, the Chief-of-Staff on the people’s army umKhonto we Sizwe, a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ANC, a husband, and a father. At the time of Mr Chris Hani’s assassination, the negotiations for a free and equal South Africa had stalled, and his tragic death forced the negotiating parties to set a date for the first democratic General Elections on 27 April 1994. So, every year that we celebrate Freedom Day, as a country we are in large part indebted to Chris Hani.

Mr. Walus was sentenced to death on 15 October 1993 for the assassination. On 07 November 2000, his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. Mr Walus held dual citizenship (Polish and South African) from 1986 until 2017, when his South African citizenship was revoked and now holds only Polish citizenship.

Several Ministers of Correctional Services denied Waluz applications for parole since 2011. On 21 November 2022, the Constitutional Court ordered that Wanus Waluz be placed on parole within ten days of the date of the order, in line with applicable legislation. At the time, the applicable parole period was two years. Januz Waluz was subsequently placed on parole on 07 December 2022, subject to parole conditions.

Today, the 6th December 2024, the parole period of Janus Waluz has come to an end in line with the Constitutional Court decision. Since Janus Waluz no longer holds any South African enabling documents, the Department of Home Affairs will be deporting him. This morning, the National Commissioner of Correctional Services will formally hand over Janus Waluz to the Department of Home Affairs for deportation.

The handover and deportation process is being overseen by the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJoints) following a Cabinet briefing earlier this week. In preparation for this deportation, Cabinet assigned the Deputy President, Mr. Paul Mashatile; the Minister in the Presidency, Ms. Khumbudzo Ntshavheni; the Minister of Justice, Ms. Mmamoloko Kubayi; and the Minister of Home Affairs, Dr. Leon Schreiber, to visit the family of the late Chris Hani to inform them of these developments.

During this engagement, the government delegation received a request for an inquest from Mr. Hani’s wife and the SACP. The request will be referred to the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.

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