Janusz Walus parole: South Africa’s constitutional court was right - but failed the sensitivity test

On 21 November 2022 the Constitutional Court of South Africa ordered the release on parole of Janusz Walus, the Polish national who assassinated Chris Hani on 10 April 1993. Hani was the secretary-general of the South African Communist Party, and one of the leading anti-apartheid stalwarts. The court’s decision, understandably, caused outrage, anger and controversy in the country, in particular for the Hani family. This article discusses the difficult challenge of communicating formal justice within the context of historical injustice and suffering.