/ 5 April 2014

SACP march in honour of Hani on assassination anniversary

Chris Hani was shot dead in the driveway of his home in 1993.
Chris Hani was shot dead in the driveway of his home in 1993. Photo: Supplied

The South African Communist Party (SACP) members on Saturday marched in Pretoria central to commemorate the death of former secretary general Chris Hani.

"Today's protest forms part of [the] activity for the 21st anniversary of comrade Hani's death," said SACP spokesperson Alex Mashilo.

Hani was shot dead in the driveway of his home in 1993.

Mashilo said more than 2 500 members marched to the Kgosi Mampuru correctional facility to demand that Hani's killer Clive Derby-Lewis remain behind bars.

"We believe that he [Derby-Lewis] is a convicted murderer, who has no remorse and is unrehabilitated," said Mashilo.

"Up until today, he has only told the partial truth about [the] assassination of Hani."

The march began around 10am and dispersed by the afternoon.

Attacked in prison
Derby-Lewis, who was sentenced to 25 years behind bars, has already served more than 20 years of his sentence. The 78-year-old man, who was reportedly diagnosed with cancer, has twice been denied medical parole.

He first made an application in 2012, and another in 2011.

Derby-Lewis was attacked twice this year in prison.

In February, he was attacked with a spoon by another prisoner, and suffered lacerations on the head and hand.

In March, a prisoner attacked him with a piece of glass and he sustained a wound in his back. He was taken to hospital for treatment. – Sapa