The annual wreath-laying ceremony in honour of assassinated South African Communist Party (SACP) leader Chris Hani descended into disarray when members of the Hani family abruptly walked out, prompting the SACP to withdraw from the programme and forcing organisers to adjourn the event.
What was meant to be a simple, solemn commemoration at Hani’s memorial site instead exposed deep tensions between the Hani family, the SACP and the City of Ekurhuleni over how the late struggle icon’s legacy is being managed – and who gets to speak and act in his name.
The family’s walkout came shortly after it emerged how extensively the Ekurhuleni metro had involved itself in the day’s programme, despite what the family and the SACP insist was a clear agreement that this year’s event would be low-key and limited to a private wreath-laying.
The annual SACP’s Chris Hani wreathlaying ceremony descended into chaos after the abrupt departure of the Hani family from the memorial site.
The family staged a walkout following the revelation of the extent of the involvement of Ekurhuleni metro in the programme and commemoration yesterday.
SACP deputy national chairperson Thulas Nxesi described the turn of events as “regrettable” and announced that, in solidarity with the Hani family, the party and its alliance partners would no longer participate.
SACP deputy national chair Thulas Nxesi said this was regrettable.
“Despite some wanting to continue, some feel as though it is difficult to continue without the family. We apologise for all of this. The communists, led by the general secretary [Solly Mapila], as well as the workers, feel that in the absence of the family, they will recuse themselves.
“We will leave the government to continue with the programme they had planned on their own; they will see how they manage it. This just shows that we all need to sit down and engage each other on how things must be done in future.”
With that, the political heart of the ceremony effectively withdrew, leaving the City of Ekurhuleni – which had rolled out a more formal, public programme – to determine how to proceed. Within hours, metro officials announced that the event would be adjourned and reconvened at a later date.
At the centre of the dispute is the Hani family’s insistence that they had agreed only to a modest wreath-laying, with no formal municipal involvement, speeches or larger public mobilisation, given unresolved grievances with the City over the stewardship of Hani’s legacy.
SACP spokesperson Mbulelo Mandlana laid the blame squarely at the municipality’s door, saying the family believed Ekurhuleni had “imposed itself” on an occasion that was never meant to be a grand civic event.
SACP spokesperson Mbulelo Mandlana pointed a finger at Ekurhuleni, saying the family had accused the municipality of imposing itself on the event.
“It was the communication between the family of Chris Hani and the SACP. The initial agreement was that this was going to be a simple wreath-laying ceremony; it was not going to be a grand, public affair. There was no agreement between the family and SACP that there was going to be an involvement of the Ekurhuleni municipality,” Mandlana said.
However, he said that upon arrival, they were confronted with a very different scene to the one envisaged during discussions with the family.
However, he said that upon arrival, they were shocked by the attendance of officials from the municipality.
“We were shocked to see that the municipality has imposed itself on the programme despite there being no agreement about how we handle collaboration in relation to this wreath-laying ceremony and memorial. In that sense, the family is unhappy, and so is the SACP,” Mandlana said.
According to Mandlana, there was an earlier understanding that any official relationship between the Hani family and the municipality would be put on hold until long-standing disputes were resolved.
According to Mandlana, there was an erstwhile agreement that the municipality would not engage the family until all unresolved matters between them had been put to bed. “The family is also unhappy because it has some longstanding issues with the municipality relating to managing the legacy of Chris Hani. Without those issues being discussed and ironed out, the family has held the position that it will interact with the SACP about these kinds of events.”
The nature of those “longstanding issues” has not been spelt out in detail, but they relate broadly to how Hani’s memory is commemorated, which structures take the lead, and how decisions are made on events and projects in his name.
Mandlana stressed that the SACP would now prioritise rebuilding trust with the family before any future commemorations go ahead.
Mandlana said the SACP would engage the family to ensure they were at ease with any [future] commemorations done in Hani’s name.
On the other side, ANC Ekurhuleni regional secretary Jongizizwe Dlabathi moved quickly to play down the suggestion that the City had deliberately overridden the wishes of the family or the SACP. He characterised what happened as a misunderstanding, and said the metro remained committed to honouring Hani “with harmony, honour and dignity”.
ANC Ekurhuleni regional secretary Jongizizwe Dlabathi downplayed the interference allegations, saying it was a mere misunderstanding. “We have agreed that we will strengthen the issue of co-ordination as it relates to the concern that was raised by SACP. It is safe to say that the city of Ekurhuleni has long taken a decision to commemorate comrade Chris Hani, but in doing so, we want to do it with harmony, honour and dignity.”
Dlabathi confirmed that the day’s formal programme would be halted out of respect for the concerns raised, with the intention of returning to the council’s decision to honour Hani once better co-ordination mechanisms were in place.
Dlabathi announced the adjournment of the ceremony, adding that they were doing so out of respect for their discussions with the SACP.
“We will come back again and implement the decision of the council as it relates to honouring comrade Chris with proper co-ordination with the SACP. We sincerely apologise to everyone else for what appears to be a mishap.”
The collapse of the ceremony lays bare the sensitivities that still surround the memory of Hani, who was assassinated outside his Dawn Park home in 1993 and is widely regarded as one of the most significant revolutionary figures of the late apartheid era.
For his family and the SACP, control over how his name and image are used – and by whom – is not simply a matter of protocol, but of political and moral responsibility. For the City of Ekurhuleni, which has long positioned itself as a custodian of key sites linked to Hani, the incident underscores the need for more careful co-ordination with those closest to him.
As the dust settles on a ceremony cut short, all sides now face the task of finding a way back to the “harmony, honour and dignity” that Hani’s memory demands – and ensuring that future commemorations are shaped in genuine partnership, rather than in conflict at the graveside.
