Johannesburg: In the midst of calls for a new investigation into the murder that nearly started a race war in South Africa 30 years ago, the country remembered the assassinated anti-apartheid activist Chris Hani on Monday.
On April 10, 1993, a white supremacist named Janusz Walus shot and killed Hani, who was the leader of the South African Communist Party at the time and a hugely popular figure.
After three decades, many South Africans still have unanswered questions about the murder and believe Walus and his accomplice weren't acting alone. There are many conspiracy theories, some of which involve the ANC or the secret services.
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At a memorial service on Monday that was attended by SACP party leaders and foreign dignitaries, Hani's widow, Limpho, said, "I don't have closure."
"I am wearing black today because of this. I am in mourning until the truth is revealed until then. The SACP requested a new inquest into the slaying last week, and they are seeking 30,000 signatures on a petition to that effect.
Solly Mapaila, the leader of the SACP, told AFP on Wednesday that "there were many... factors that were not properly investigated." "We must learn the truth,"
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Hani, a 50-year-old man, was fatally shot in the driveway of his east Johannesburg home in front of his 15-year-old daughter. In black townships, the incident sparked protests and rioting.
Nelson Mandela appeared on national television to call for calm as the racial tensions in South Africa's black majority reached a breaking point. The action lessened tensions and paved the way for South Africa's first elections with multiple racial groups the following year.
In an attempt to incite racial conflict, Walus and his accomplice Clive Derby-Lewis were quickly apprehended. After serving 22 years in prison, Derby-Lewis was released in 2015 on medical parole. Age 80, he passed away from lung cancer in 2016. Walus received a contentious parole decision in December of last year.
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Limpho Hani addressed the memorial service on Monday, saying, "The democratic government, which my husband died for, has betrayed Chris and his family by releasing his assassin."
"The murderer is at large. And the chance to learn the whole truth about the extensive conspiracy surrounding Chris Hani's murder has been completely lost.