Chris Hani, esteemed for his spirit of fearlessness and precise leadership qualities, led the anti-apartheid struggle until his assassination on April 10, 1993, outside his home in Dawn Park, Boksburg.
To pay tribute to him for his selfless contribution to the liberation of the oppressed, the metro will roll out a programme to uphold the ideals for which he stood.
The metro conferred the Freedom of the City to Chris Hani posthumously in November 2006 and declared April, the month in which he died, Chris Hani Month.
“In March 2017, Chris Hani’s grave, Chris Hani Memorial and Walk of Remembrance were declared National Heritage sites by the South African National Heritage Agency.
“This year the metro’s heritage services submitted nominations to the Provincial Heritage Resources Authority – Gauteng (PHRA-G) for the Chris Hani House situated at 2 Hakea Street, Dawn Park, Boksburg to be declared a National Heritage Site,” said Themba Gadebe, spokesperson for the metro.
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The metro’s member of the mayoral committee (MMC) for community services, Clr Dora Mlambo, said, “The declaration of the house as a National Heritage Site will enhance the preservation, protection and promotion of Chris Hani’s legacy, history and his contribution to the liberation struggle.”
Government officials, political leaders, the community and the Hani family convened a wreath-laying ceremony for the fallen hero on April 10 at the Thomas Nkobi Memorial Park in Boksburg, where his grave, Chris Hani Memorial and Walk of Remembrance sites are situated.
This was followed by a memorial lecture on Chris Hani’s life and times at the Boksburg Civic Centre and later this month the Chris Hani Photographic Exhibition, depicting the life of Chris Hani will be opened for public viewing for free at the Springs Art Gallery from April 21 to May 21, from 9am to 4.30pm on weekdays, while it will be open from 8am to noon on weekends.
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Furthermore, 100 primary and high school learners from Ekurhuleni and the Chris Hani District Municipality in the Eastern Cape province will, on April 14, present and debate issues that led to the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (Codesa) negotiations.
The learners will thereafter hand over their declarations to the executive mayor of Ekurhuleni Clr Mzwandile Masina on April 16 at the Alberton Civic Centre.
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