Hani memorial: Damage due to neglect, not political division

Workers at the Chris Hani Memorial say news about the former SA Communist Party secretary-general’s grave being vandalised has been sensationalised to create a perception that a race war is looming due to the release of his killer, Janusz Walus.

Neglected since 2015

The workers claimed the memorial had been neglected since it was opened by former president Jacob Zuma in 2015, and this had resulted in it being vandalised by desperate locals.

Lights, windows, fences, showers, sinks, electricity cables and taps were some of the things vandalised or stolen.

The workers believed the damage to one of the pillars had been caused by heavy winds last weekend, or individuals trying to steal cables from the pillar.

“We came here and found it broken. We are not here on weekends, so we only reported it on Monday. We just cleaned it today,” they said yesterday.

Fingerprints taken

One of them, who did not want to be named for fear of victimisation, said police had come to take fingerprints at the memorial two weeks ago after he and his colleagues had reported to work and found windows broken.

“They broke the windows and stole burglar bars. They also stole taps, but failed to steal the geyser.

“We believe the people who broke the pillar are those who have been stealing here, because the security is not tight. People have been stealing things for a long time and no one cared about it,” said the source.

Stealing cables

“We do not believe someone just came to break tiles from one of the pillars and left. We believe it was someone who was trying to steal cables because the beams light up at night … or it may have been just the bad weather on the weekend.

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“Why did they not destroy the picture on the tombstone if they were here for vandalising?

“The only incident we know about, which might make sense, was when someone shot at the memorial years ago … Other than that, it has just been criminality.”

More security

The source said the damage to Hani’s memorial would have not happened had the City of Ekurhuleni hired more security to guard it at night.

“Everyone knows that there are fewer security people at night and there are a lot of valuable things here. People are not employed, so they will do anything to get money.”

The Citizen tried to contact Hani’s wife, Limpho, however, she refused to speak to us except to say: “My husband’s tombstone is intact so I do not know what you are talking about.

“I am not an architect, why don’t you speak to an architect who will tell you if it either fell or someone broke it? Do not waste my time.”

Preserving rich heritage

City of Ekurhuleni spokesperson Zweli Dlamini said the lighting system at the facility had been removed and one of the pillars had been badly damaged.

“The city is doing its best to preserve its rich heritage, but there seems to be some people out there who are hell-bent on ensuring this does not happen. Our people should take pride in such facilities, instead of destroying them,” he said.

“People should learn to respect cemeteries as they were meant to be sacred places.

“That facility has been there for many years and why is it all of a sudden being vandalised? There’s a behavioural issue in the society,” he said.

Contribution cannot be erased

“The city wants to make it clear that no amount of sabotage, theft or vandalism can erase the contribution stalwarts like Chris Hani, who is indeed a free person of the City of Ekurhuleni [and played a part] in the liberation struggle of this country.”

Political analyst Xolani Dube said what was happening to Hani’s memorial was a reflection of what the ANC government was doing to South Africans.

“The stealing is what the ANC government is doing to us, so this is a reflection.

“For people to do this, shows how people view struggle or liberations heroes. People see them as people who sold them.

“If they were not sold by the ANC, people were going to honour Hani,” said Dude.

He did not believe the destruction of Hani’s grave would fuel racial tensions and said: “Those who evoke politics of skin pigmentations are being opportunistic.”

– lungam@citizen.co.za

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