White supremacist who assassinated anti-apartheid leader returns to Poland after decades in prison.
South African authorities announced on Friday the deportation of 71-year-old Janusz Walus, the man convicted of assassinating anti-apartheid hero Chris Hani in 1993. Walus, a Polish immigrant and staunch supporter of apartheid, spent 30 years in prison before being released on parole two years ago.
Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni confirmed Walus’ deportation during a media briefing, stating that he would be returned to Poland immediately.
Walus, who migrated to South Africa in 1981 and obtained citizenship, fatally shot Hani outside his home in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg. Hani, a prominent leader of the South African Communist Party and ally of the African National Congress (ANC), was a key figure in the fight against apartheid. His murder brought South Africa to the brink of civil war during its fragile transition to democracy.
The decision to release Walus on parole in 2022 sparked outrage among Hani’s family, supporters, and political allies, who viewed the court’s ruling as an affront to his legacy.
Having completed the two-year community corrections required under his parole conditions, Walus is now being deported, ending his controversial presence in South Africa.
