Justice and Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha on Friday announced that the man serving a life sentence for the murder of South African Communist Party (SACP) leader Chris Hani will not be released on bail as he still showed no remorse.

“He [Janusz Walus] had brought an application to be placed on parole on 10 April 2015 after serving 21 years and six months of the sentence, in terms of the Correctional Services Act 111 of 1998. I had denied him parole by ordering a further profile to be submitted, a decision that was challenged by Mr Walus. The Gauteng Division of the High Court in Pretoria set my decision aside and ordered his placement on parole. The Supreme Court of Appeal (the SCA) then upheld my appeal against that judgment with an order remitting the matter to me for reconsideration and a decision within 90 days,” Masutha explained at a media briefing in Pretoria.

“This matter has attracted publicity here and abroad because of the grave impact caused by the crime he committed which is well documented. It is for this reason that we elected to communicate my decision on this platform.”

Masutha said the profile of Walus submitted to him indicates that the Polish national “has showed no remorse and still rationalises” his actions.

“The following observations have been noted from the profile submitted to me …a psychologist’s report has highlighted the offender’s political ideology as a risk factor in the report and is stated as follows: ‘Regarding empathy, it can be said that he expressed remorse for the fact that the victims’ children are fatherless and the wife is a widow, however, he showed no remorse for murdering Chris Hani the communist leader. He still rationalizes his actions and insists that they were politically motivated. His ideas about communism still stand'."

Masutha added that it appears that over the entire period of his incarceration, Walus has acquired neither further academic nor vocational skills that could enhance his prospects of reintegration back into society. It was therefore recommended that the national department should assist him to acquire any such skills.

“In the result, I have decided that the placement of the offender on parole is not advisable at this stage and his application is therefore not approved. A further profile should be submitted within a period of twelve months of the date of this decision,” said Masutha.

Hani was shot and killed by Walus on Easter Sunday, 10 April, 1993.

Walus was convicted of murder and sentenced to death in October 1993, but this was later commuted to life imprisonment.

Walus’ application to be released on parole was initially turned down by Masutha, after which the convicted murderer sought the intervention of the high court to make a ruling for him to be released on parole. In March 2016, the high court ordered that Walus be released on parole within a fortnight, prompting Masutha to apply for leave to appeal.

Walus' erstwhile co-accused Clive Derby-Lewis, who was also given a life sentence, was released on medical parole in June 2015 after serving 22 years. He died in November 2016.