Chris Hani
Chris Hani
The SACP leader who kept the revolutionary flame alive after laying down arms
“We are negotiating to create better conditions for socialism. I am a communist.” — Interview shortly before his assassination, 1993
General Secretary of the South African Communist Party and Chief of Staff of Umkhonto we Sizwe, he led the left wing of the liberation movement from armed struggle through the turn to negotiations. His assassination by a far-right immigrant in 1993 nearly derailed South Africa's democratic transition, but instead galvanized the final agreement on the 1994 elections.
Career timeline
- 1957Joined ANC Youth League at age 15
- 1959–1961Studied English, Latin and classics at Fort Hare University
- 1961Joined the South African Communist Party
- 1962Joined Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK)
- 1963Arrested; fled to Lesotho; adopted the name Chris
- 1967–1969Zimbabwean War of Liberation: joint MK-ZIPRA operations
- 1969Co-signed the 'Hani Memorandum' criticizing ANC/MK leadership
- 1974Elected to ANC National Executive Committee
- 1982MK Chief of Staff; directed guerrilla operations from Lusaka
- 1990Returned permanently to South Africa after ANC unbanning
- 1991.12Elected SACP General Secretary, succeeding Joe Slovo
- 1993.4.10Shot dead outside his Boksburg home by a far-right immigrant