Chris Hani
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For the district in Eastern Cape, see
. For the settlement in Western Cape, see
.
Chris Hani
11th
In office
1991–1993
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Chief of Staff of
In office
1987–1992
President
Preceded by
(acting)
Succeeded by
Personal details
Born
Martin Thembisile Hani
28 June 1942
Sabalele Village,
,
Died
10 April 1993
(aged 50)
, South Africa
Cause of death
Other
political
affiliations
(
)
Spouse
(
m.
1973)
Children
Occupation
politician
military
veteran
Civilian
awards
Nickname
Chris
Military service
Allegiance
(1963)
(1967)
Branch/service
Years of
service
1962–1992
Rank
(1967)
Battles/wars
Military
awards
Part of
on
Events
Organisations
People
Places
Related topics
Chris Hani
(28 June 1942 – 10 April 1993; born
Martin Thembisile Hani
,
,
,
,
) was a South African military commander, politician and
revolutionary. He served as the leader of the
(SACP) and chief of staff of
(MK), the former armed wing of
the
(ANC). He was a fierce opponent of
,
and was
by
, a Polish immigrant and sympathiser of
the
opposition on 10 April 1993, during the unrest preceding the
.
Early life and education
[
]
Martin Thembisile Hani
[
]
was born on 28 June 1942
in the
village in
,
. His father, Gilbert Hani, was a mine union
worker and political activist who left the country to go into exile in 1962
and returned to South Africa in 1991. His mother, Mary Hani, had never
attended school. Chris was the fifth of six children.
He attended
school in 1957, to finish his last two years. He twice
finished two school grades in a single year. When Hani was 12 years old, after
hearing his father's explanations about
and the
(ANC), he wished to join the ANC but was still too young to be
accepted.
In Lovedale school, Hani joined the ANC Youth League when he was
15 years old, even though political activities were not allowed at black
schools under apartheid. He influenced other students to join the ANC.
Hani
was first involved with the Unity movement, before being influenced to align
with the ANC due to the activism of the party concerning mass struggles.
Writers such as
played a critical role in his political
conversion.
In 1959, at the
in
, Hani studied
English, Latin,
and modern and classical literature.
He was also a
graduate of
.
Political and military career
[
]
At the age of 15, he joined the
. As a student, he was active
in protests against the
. He worked as a clerk for a law
firm. In 1961, Hani joined a communist party led by Comrade Mbeki where he
first started learning and reading about Marxism. Following his graduation,
Hani joined
(MK), the armed wing of the ANC. He credited his
commitment to the MK as a result of his exposure to the extreme side of
apartheid during his upbringing. Hani said, "I didn't get involved with the
workers' struggle out of theory alone. It was a combination of theory and my
own class background."
Following his arrest under the
, he went into exile in
in 1963.
Because of Hani's
involvement with
, he was forced into hiding by the South
African government and changed his first name to Chris.
He received military training in the
and served in campaigns in
the
, also called the Rhodesian Bush War. They
were joint operations between Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) and the
in the late 1960s. The Luthuli Detachment operation
consolidated Hani's reputation as a soldier in the black army that took the
field against apartheid and its allies. His role as a fighter from the
earliest days of MK's exile (following the arrest of
and the
other internal MK leaders at
) was an important part in the fierce
loyalty that Hani later enjoyed in some quarters as MK's Deputy Commander (
was overall commander). In 1969, Hani co-signed, with six others, the
"Hani Memorandum", which was strongly critical of the leadership of
, Moses Kotane and other comrades in the leadership.
This memorandum
was also a cry to radicalize the anti-apartheid movement in the ANC. Hani saw
the overreliance on diplomatic negotiations as inefficient and was critical
of the separation between the leaders of the ANC and the fighters of the MK.
Hani stressed the fact in the memorandum by saying, "the ANC is the vanguard
of the revolutionary struggle in South Africa and it is strange that its
leaders have not been obliged to take the M.K. oath". Hani and the
signatories of the memorandum aimed to unite both parties while also holding
leaders of the ANC accountable for complacency.
In Lesotho, Hani organised guerrilla operations of the MK in South Africa. By
1982, he had become prominent enough to have become the target of
assassination attempts, and he eventually moved to the ANC's headquarters in
,
. As head of Umkhonto we Sizwe, he was responsible for the
suppression of a mutiny by dissident anti-Communist ANC members in detention
camps, but denied any role in abuses including torture and murder.
Many MK
female operatives, such as Dipuo Mvelase, adored Chris Hani for having
protected women's rights and caring about their wellbeing at military
camps.
Having spent time as a clandestine organiser in South Africa in the mid-
1970s, he permanently returned to South Africa following the unbanning of the
ANC in 1990, and took over from
as head of the
(SACP) on 8 December 1991.
He supported the suspension of
the ANC's armed struggle in favour of negotiations,
as well as including a
multi-party political system. Hani also pushed for radical economic reform
in South Africa. He put great effort in advocating for a socialist economy.
Social redistribution as well as protecting labor rights were central in
Hani's push to improve the South African economy post apartheid. In an
interview in 1993, Hani explained how creating a socio economic restructure
would be a massive job for South Africans.
Assassination
[
]
Main article:
Chris Hani was
on 10 April 1993 outside his home in
, a
racially mixed suburb of
. He was
by a Polish far-right
anti-communist immigrant named
, who shot him as he stepped out
of his car.
Waluś fled the scene but was soon arrested after Margareta
Harmse, a white Afrikaner housewife, saw Waluś straight after the crime as
she was driving past, and called the police. A neighbour of Hani also
witnessed the crime and later identified both Waluś and the vehicle he was
driving at the time.
, a senior South African
MP and
for Economic Affairs at the time, who had lent
Waluś his pistol, was also arrested for complicity in Hani's murder.
The
Conservative Party of South Africa had broken away from the ruling
out of opposition to the reforms of
. After the elections of
1989, it was the second-strongest party in the
, after the
National Party, and opposed
's dismantling of
apartheid.
[
]
Historically, the assassination is seen as a turning point. Serious tensions
followed the assassination, with fears that the country would erupt in
violence. Nelson Mandela addressed the nation appealing for calm, in a speech
regarded as presidential even though he was not yet president of the
country:
Tonight I am reaching out to every single South African, black and
white, from the very depths of my being. A white man, full of
prejudice and hate, came to our country and committed a deed so foul
that our whole nation now teeters on the brink of disaster. A white
woman, of Afrikaner origin, risked her life so that we may know, and
bring to justice, this assassin. The cold-blooded murder of Chris
Hani has sent shock waves throughout the country and the world. ...
Now is the time for all South Africans to stand together against
those who, from any quarter, wish to destroy what Chris Hani gave his
life for – the freedom of all of us.
While riots followed the assassination,
both sides of the negotiation
process were galvanised into action, and they soon agreed that the
, just over a year
after Hani's assassination.
Assassins' conviction and amnesty hearing
[
]
In October 1993, both Janusz Waluś and Clive Derby-Lewis were convicted for the murder
and sentenced to death.
Derby-Lewis's wife, Gaye, was acquitted. Both men's sentences were commuted to life imprisonment when the
was abolished as a result of a Constitutional Court ruling in 1995.
Hani's killers appeared before the
, claiming political motivation for their
crimes and applying for amnesty on the basis that they had acted on the orders of the Conservative Party. The Hani
family was represented by the anti-apartheid lawyer
.
Their applications were denied when the TRC ruled
that they had not acted under orders.
Following several failed attempts, Derby-Lewis was granted medical parole in
May 2015 after he had been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer; he died 18 months later, on 3 November 2016.
On 10 March 2016, the north Gauteng High Court ordered Waluś to be released on parole under bail conditions.
The
Department of Justice and Correctional Services lodged an appeal against the parole decision to the
in
.
The Department of Home Affairs has indicated that Waluś may have his
revoked.
On 18 August 2017, the Supreme Court of Appeal in Bloemfontein overturned Waluś's parole, a
decision that was welcomed by the SACP.
By October 2019, Waluś was still in prison, despite his lawyer's claim that
he is completely rehabilitated.
On 16 March 2020, Waluś was again denied parole by Justice Minister
.
On 7 December 2022, Waluś was granted parole under strict conditions by Justice Minister Ronald Lamola.
In 2024, the government announced that Waluś was to be deported to Poland on 6 December, with the
paying for the proceedings.
Waluś arrived in Poland on 7 December 2024.
Conspiracy theories
[
]
Hani's assassination has attracted numerous conspiracy theories about outside involvement. The final report of the
Truth and Reconciliation Commission said it "was unable to find evidence that the two murderers convicted of the
killing of Chris Hani took orders from international groups, security forces or from higher up in the right-wing
echelons".
Influence
[
]
Hani was a charismatic leader, with significant support among the radical anti-apartheid youth. At the time of his
death, he was the most popular ANC leader after his senior, Nelson Mandela.
Following the legalisation of the ANC,
his support for the negotiation process with the apartheid government was critical in keeping the militants in line.
Despite starting off as an advocate for armed resistance, he was able to adapt to the needs of the people and moved
towards peaceful political negotiations.
Hani also played a critical role in deepening the alliance between the
SCAP, ANC, and Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU).
These relationships played a big role in the
success of the anti-apartheid resistance movement. Chris Hani became a global figure for anti apartheid and resistance
movements around the world.
[
]
In Poland, the far right has supported Waluś and praised his murder.
In April 2025, the
published a report on this phenomenon.
Recognition and legacy
[
]
Chris Hani monument
Honours and awards
[
]
Hani was the recipient of many posthumous awards, including:
[
]
(
Gold
)
(
SSAG
)
(
Silver
)
(
SBS
)
(
CLS
)
(
Gold
)
(
DMG
)
(
Silver
)
(
MMS
)
(
Gold
)
(
Silver
)
(
Bronze
)
Places
[
]
In 1997, Baragwanath Hospital, one of the largest hospitals in the world, was renamed the
in his memory.
A District Municipality in the Eastern Cape was named the
.
[
]
The
in
also bears his name.
[
]
In 2009, after the extension of
, the new railway terminus serving eastern areas of
was named Chris Hani.
Other recognition
[
]
Days after his assassination, the rock group
(whose lead singer and guitarist,
, is
from South Africa) began playing what would become "
", with lyrics and chorus referring to Hani's shooting.
In 1993, French philosopher
dedicated
(1993) to Hani.
In September 2004, Hani was voted 20th in the SABC's Top 100
poll.
A short opera,
Hani
, by composer
with
by film producer Mfundi Vundla, was commissioned
by
and the
, premiering at the
on 21 November 2010.
Personal life
[
]
Hani married
in 1974 at a magistrate's court in
; they had a celebratory wedding lunch at
.
The couple had three daughters together: Neo, Nomakhwezi, and Lindiwe.
Nomakhwezi died aged 23 in
2001.
Books
[
]
Mali, Thami (1993).
Thami Mali Remembers Chris Hani; The Sun That Set Before Dawn
. Johannesburg: SACHED Trust.
.
References
[
]
Chris Hani (1991).
.
SA Communist Party
. Archived from
on 25
February 2017
. Retrieved
3 November
2016
.
^
Van Wyk, Chris (2003).
Chris Hani
. South Africa: Awareness publishing. p. 13.
.
.
www.sahistory.org.za
. Retrieved
21 March
2025
.
^
. About.com. Archived from
on 19 May 2009
. Retrieved
3 November
2016
.
. Afravision. 3 June 2013 – via YouTube.
.
www.sahistory.org.za
. Retrieved
21 March
2025
.
25 January 2013 at the
,
Transformation
, 2009.
.
www.sahistory.org.za
. Retrieved
21 March
2025
.
.
SowetanLIVE
. The Sowetan. 7 October 2008.
.
www.sahistory.org.za
. Retrieved
4 September
2021
.
Hani, Chris (February 1991).
.
. Archived from
on 28 September 2007
.
Retrieved
3 November
2016
.
.
africasacountry.com
. 10 April 2014
. Retrieved
21 March
2025
.
(2004).
. Greenwood Publishing Group.
pp.
–.
.
.
omalley.nelsonmandela.org
. Retrieved
4 February
2019
.
^
.
BBC News
. Retrieved
3 November
2016
.
^
(1994).
Tomorrow is Another Country
. Struik.
Keller, Bill (15 October 2020).
.
New York Times
. Retrieved
23 December
2020
.
Grootes, Stephen (8 October 2014).
.
Daily
Maverick
. Retrieved
4 September
2021
.
. Dispatch. Archived from
on 5 December 2008
. Retrieved
3 November
2016
.
^
.
BBC News
. 7 April 1999
. Retrieved
3 November
2016
.
.
News24
. Archived from
on 16 February 2017
. Retrieved
3 November
2016
.
.
The M&G Online
. 10 March 2016
. Retrieved
3 November
2016
.
^
. Archived from
on 20 September 2016
. Retrieved
16 September
2016
.
. 18 August 2017
. Retrieved
23 December
2020
.
Tlhabye, Goitsemang (7 October 2019).
.
IOL
. Retrieved
23 December
2020
.
Venter, Zelda (16 March 2020).
.
iol.co.za
. Retrieved
23 December
2020
.
Maromo, Jonisayi (13 February 1983).
.
www.iol.co.za
. Retrieved
7 December
2022
.
.
BBC
. 6 December 2024
. Retrieved
6 December
2024
.
.
Notes from Poland
. 7
December 2024.
. Africanhistoryabout.com. Archived from
on 4 November 2016
.
Retrieved
3 November
2016
.
Mzamane, Nthoana and Mbulelo (July 1993).
.
Southern Africa Report
.
9
(1): 22.
Archived from
on 3 March 2016
. Retrieved
3 November
2016
.
.
www.sahistory.org.za
. Retrieved
22 March
2025
.
Kiewit, Lester (8 September 2020).
.
Mail & Guardian
.
.
tvpworld.com
. 6 December 2024.
(PDF)
. Warsaw: 'NEVER AGAIN'
Association. April 2025.
. 10 April 2025.
archived 3 August 2012 at
,
chrishanibaragwanathhospital.co.za (accessed 3 November 2016)
. Retrieved
31 January
2019
.
Kalipa, Siyabonga (11 June 2009).
.
West Cape News
. Archived from
on 18
July 2011
. Retrieved
3 November
2016
.
. DMBAlmanac.com².
Martell, Nevin (2004).
Dave Matthews Band: Music for the People
. Simon and Schuster. p. 57.
Jacques Derrida (1994),
Spectres de Marx: l'état de la dette, le travail du deil et la nouvelle Internationale
, Paris: Galilée,
(
).
.
Youth Village
. 13 October 2013
. Retrieved
23 February
2019
.
, tonight.co.za
Karen Rutter.
.
Times LIVE
. Retrieved
3 November
2016
.
.
City of Ekurhuleni
. 26 April 2020
. Retrieved
7 April
2023
.
.
South African History Online
. 3 April 2011
. Retrieved
7 April
2023
.
.
News24
. 11 March 2001
. Retrieved
7 April
2023
.
Mboyane, Sphiwe (17 March 2001).
.
News24
. Retrieved
7 April
2023
.
External links
[
]
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.
Party political offices
Preceded by
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Succeeded by
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This page was last edited on 5 May 2026, at 13:59
(UTC)
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