Chris Hani’s memorial unveiled

PRESIDENT Jacob Zuma unveiled a memorial in honour of the South African Communist Party leader at the Thomas Nkobi memorial Cemetery in Boksburg on April 10 and declared is a Heritage Site.

The late Chris Hani was shot and killed in his driveway in Dawn Park, Boksburg, 22 years ago. President Zuma said the month of April has been declared Chris Hani Month by the City of Ekurhuleni.

Mr Jerry Theys, a resident of Reuven Complex Retirement Village, remembers the assassination of Hani clearly. “News came as a shock to many of us, we just could not believe it was true. Hani and Tokyo Sexwale, who at the time lived in Dawn Park, both frequented Reiger Park (formerly a coloured suburb), Dawn Park was only five minutes’ drive to Reiger Park, and they regularly visited the St Anthony’s Adult Education and Skills Centre in Reiger Park and showed keen interest in its activities; Sexwale was a member of the board.

“During the Soweto student uprising in 1976, almost all the schools in Soweto were non-functional. St Anthony’s Educational Centre was one of the very few educational institutions, where thousands of black students could continue their studies. I was at the time actively involved with the operations at the centre as secretary of the St Anthony’s committee and PRO for Skills Training at the time,” explained Jerry.

Hani and Fr. Stan Brennan, director and founder of the Education Centre, regularly discussed matters pertaining to education and community upliftment programmes. Hani said he attended Catholic school, at one time he was an altar-boy assisting the priest during church services, and was seriously considering becoming a Catholic priest.

Hani was buried out of the Catholic Church in Reiger Park and the funeral was conducted by Fr. Stan Brennan, who also a year later unveiled the tombstone. Hani’s late daughter, Khwezi, was also buried out of the same church by Fr, Stan Brennan.

Compiled by Jerry Theys.