Fikile Mbalula Calls for Calm and Respect After Altercation at Chris Hani’s Wreath-Laying Ceremony

• African National Congress Secretary General, Fikile Mbalula, discussed what happened at a wreath-laying ceremony at Chris Hani's grave
• The struggle icon's family withdrew from the event, accusing the municipality of overstepping and making the event ‘unnecessarily large’
• Mbalula noted that there was an altercation at the ceremony, and words were uttered, which were not in the spirit of the event

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.

GAUTENG – Fikile Mbalula has called for calm and respect following the withdrawal of Chris Hani’s family from a scheduled wreath-laying ceremony at his grave.

The event was meant to take place at the Thomas Nkobi Memorial Park in Boksburg, Ekurhuleni, on 8 April 2026, to mark 33 years since the assassination of the former South African Communist Party (SACP) leader. Hani's killer, Janusz Waluś, served some time in prison, was released on parole, and has since been deported back to Poland on 6 December 2024.

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The ceremony, which is an annual event, had to be adjourned after the family withdrew from it. Hani’s widow, Limpho, criticised the municipality for making it ‘unnecessarily large’, describing it as a stokvel at her husband’s grave.

Mbalula weighs in on family’s complaints

Speaking about the issue at a media briefing on 10 April 2026, the African National Congress (ANC) Secretary General agreed that the family needed to be respected.

Mbalula added that they had spoken to the municipality, requesting that they engage the family and address whatever concerns arose from what happened on the gravesite. The ANC SG also noted that there was a bit of an altercation, without going into detail about what transpired.

“It was unfortunate that there was an altercation and unwarranted words were uttered at the gravesite of Chris Hani. We have intervened and called for calm,” Mbalula said.

Mbalula says there needs to be a mature approach to handling situations

The ANC SG noted that there were some issues regarding honouring Hani, as he had ties to both the ANC and the South African Communist Party (SACP).

Mbalula stated that this should not happen because, as much as Hani was the General Secretary of the SACP, and they had full claims over his name in celebrating his life, he was also an ANC Chief of Staff and member of the National Executive Committee (NEC).

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“So, we need to be mature and disciplined. Because we're not doing these things for ourselves. These are individuals and symbols of our liberation struggles. We have to tell their stories to the young and educate them that indeed their freedom was not free,” he stated.

Government to open inquest into Hani's death

Briefly News reported that the South African government would open an inquest into Hani's assassination.

The former South African Communist Party leader was shot dead in 1993 by Polish national Janusz Waluś.

South Africans questioned why the government was only taking action after Waluś was deported back to Poland.

Source: Briefly News