The president of the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), Zingiswa Losi, has urged South African leaders to honour the legacy of former SACP leader Chris Hani, who was on Monday honoured on the 30th anniversary of his death during a ceremony held in Boksburg.
Losi said while a lot had been achieved since the dawn of democracy, questions needed to be raised on whether the African National Congress (ANC)-led government had realised Chris Hani's dream of socialism.
She said those in positions of power had to really dig deep and relook at how they have upheld or neglected the poor and marginalised.
Hani was shot and killed at his Boksburg home on 10 April 1993. He was a staunch advocate for an equal, non-racial South Africa that would prioritise the needs of the poor.
Losi said the tripartite alliance - comprising the ANC, Cosatu and the South African Communist Party - must continue to be the champions of the poor instead of misusing its access to power.
“In just over two weeks, we will have achieved 29 years of our liberation. The question is: have we honoured the vision of socialism and justice that comrade Chris set for ourselves? Have we fully utilised levers of state power handed to us by the people, or have we become distracted by the trappings of power?’’
In the meantime, Chris Hani’s widow, Limpho Hani, who spoke during the event held at Thomas Nkobi Memorial Park honouring the legacy of her husband, called for an inquest into the death of her husband to be opened to probe evidence that there was a possible second person involved in the killing of her husband from a neighbour’s yard.
Hani called for an inquest into the death of her husband and Struggle stalwart, adding that there needs to be an investigation into claims that there was a second shooter responsible for the death of her husband.
“The SACP leadership and I are not mad for asking for an inquest. A discovery was made that there was a second person in my neighbour’s garden.
“What they found in that garden were an empty can of Fanta Orange and a cigarette butt. These things were collected, but the apartheid government cautiously decided not to follow up on that and made the focus on Janusz Walus, the assassin,” she said.
She said the evidence is backed up by the fact that when she was at home, some bullets were fired from that angle.
“However, if you go to the garage door, which is still at my house, you will see that some of the bullets were fired from that angle, suggesting more than one shooter,” she added.
Hani said this evidence was collected but never explored further to be considered.
Hani’s call for an inquest has received support from both the SACP and the ANC.
The SACP said it wants the inquest as there were many unanswered questions around the party’s former general secretary’s death.
The late Struggle stalwart was murdered outside his Boksburg home by Polish immigrant Janusz Walus.
Speaking at the 30th-anniversary commemoration of Hani's death on Monday, ANC first deputy secretary-general, Nomvula Mokonyane, said the party would push for the inquest into his murder.
‘’We will also continue to work with his family and the rest of the movement to find closure on his death by supporting the call for an inquest on the killing of comrade Chris Hani. May the spirit of Chris Hani continue to live in us.’’
The Star