JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – 1997: Janusz Walus, Chris Hani’s killer during his amnesty hearing at Benoni Town Hall. (Photo by Gallo Images/Oryx Media Archive).
Department of Home Affairs will not deport Janusz Walus to Poland
The Department of Home Affairs says Janusz Walus won’t be deported to his home country so he can finish serving his sentence in South Africa.
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – 1997: Janusz Walus, Chris Hani’s killer during his amnesty hearing at Benoni Town Hall. (Photo by Gallo Images/Oryx Media Archive).
Department of Home Affairs Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has confirmed that Chris Hani’s murderer, Janusz Walus has been granted permanent residency for the duration of his sentence.
This comes as the Constitutional Court found that the decision by Justice Minister Ronald Lamola to deny Walus parole in 2020 was irrational and ordered that he be released on parole within 10 days.
JANUSZ WALUS NOW A PERMANENT RESIDENT OF SA
Janusz Walus, a Polish national, assassinated freedom fighter, Chris Hani outside his Boksburg home, shooting him four times on Easter Saturday 10 April 1993, on the eve of South Africa’s transition to democracy in 1994. The freedom fighter was declared dead at the scene.
Following an investigation Walus was then arrested and sentenced to death. However that was later changed to life imprisonment after South Africa abolished the death penalty. The decision by the Constitutional Court has upset many who hare of the opinion that Walus should not be released on parole. The SACP, ANC and other public figures have expressed their disappointment and dissatisfaction.
The Department of Home Affairs said Motsoaledi granted Walus an exemption in terms of section 31(2)(b) of the Immigration Act 13 of 2002, the rights of permanent residence for the parole period and conditions to be imposed by the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services.
The Department said the Minister granted the exemption in order for Walus to serve his parole period in South Africa and the exemption contains a condition that he may not use any travel document and/or passport issued by the Embassy of the Republic of Poland.
“The letter addressed to Mr Walus and a certificate of exemption have been forwarded to the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services to be delivered to Mr Walus.
“The letter set out the exceptional circumstances requiring the granting of the exemption which, inter alia, include the fact that it would be in the interests of justice that Mr Walus serves his sentence to the fullest, including parole in the Republic of South Africa.”
Home Affairs
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