Front National wants Walus and Derby-Lewis released

The Front National political party has threatened to embark on a mass action campaign if the department of correctional services fails to respond to their demands of releasing the two Chris Hani murderers, Clive Derby-Lewis and Janusz Walus.

About 20 members of the party took part in the peaceful protest march outside the department’s offices in the city centre on Friday.

This was their second call in 49 days after the party’s first peaceful protest on 12 April at the same venue. At their first protest march they only demanded the release of Derby-Lewis.

The deputy chairperson of the Front National, Wessel Basson, said Derby-Lewis condition was stable but serious. Derby-Lewis is suffering from terminal cancer and he had been sick for over four years

He said they could not understand why the 78-year-old Derby-Lewis wore chains in hospital as if he was dangerous.

“Derby-Lewis is not a threat to society and we want the correctional services to take the chains off. He is not an animal, but a human being,” Basson said.

The Front National continued they wanted Derby-Lewis to be released on medical parole, the same as the former police commissioner, Jackie Selebi, and the businessman, Schabir Shaik.

Basson said although the department knew about Derby-Lewis’ condition nothing was being done to release him.

He claimed Walus and Derby-Lewis deserved parole as they had spent more than 21 years behind bars.

The South African Communist Party Leader, Chris Hani, was assassinated on 10 April 1993 outside his home in Dawn Park, Boksburg.

Walus fled the scene after shooting Hani in the head and back as he stepped out of his car. He was arrested after a woman called the police.

Derby-Lewis, who provided Walus with a pistol, was arrested for complicity in Hani’s murder.

The two were sentenced to death but the sentence was changed to life imprisonment after the death penalty was abolished.

The party gave the department until 23 June to respond.