A newly released book is reigniting debate around the assassination of South African Communist Party leader Chris Hani, with renewed calls for an official inquest into his death more than three decades later.
The book, Who Really Killed Chris Hani?, is authored by former KwaZulu-Natal judge Chris Nicholson, who argues that the long-closed case leaves critical questions unanswered. Nicholson believes there is sufficient evidence to suggest that convicted assassin Janusz Walus and accomplice Clive Derby-Lewis did not act alone, but were directed by forces operating behind the scenes, as reported by EWN.
Nicholson has urged the National Prosecuting Authority to take further action, saying the investigation into Hani’s killing was incomplete and deeply flawed. He hopes his work will help generate public pressure strong enough to compel authorities to reopen the matter, even 35 years after Hani was shot dead in his driveway.
Although he never met Hani, Nicholson said the failure to fully uncover the truth surrounding the murder has weighed heavily on him for years. His interest in the case was reignited while regularly travelling along a road named after Hani in Pietermaritzburg, prompting him to carry out his own extensive investigation.
Nicholson, who has also written about the Cradock Four, maintains that the passage of time should not shield those who played supporting roles in the assassination. He argues that anyone who supplied weapons, vehicles, or facilitated gaps in security should be viewed as accomplices alongside the two men who were convicted.
While several books have examined Hani’s death, Nicholson’s work places particular focus on the possibility of a wider conspiracy. He believes renewed scrutiny should extend beyond the known perpetrators to include other structures and entities allegedly linked to the killing.
Nicholson has said his ultimate aim is to spark public debate and renewed legal action, arguing that South Africa’s history, and its future, may have unfolded very differently had Chris Hani lived.
Compiled by Aiden Daries
First published on Cape {town} etc
Also see: This Day in History – Chris Hani is Born
