A scheduled wreath-laying ceremony to honor the late anti-apartheid icon Comrade Chris Hani was abruptly postponed today, following a significant breakdown in coordination between the Hani family and the Ekurhuleni Municipality.
The South African Communist Party (SACP) released a formal statement expressing grave concern over the municipal authorities' perceived refusal to respect the family's wishes, which ultimately led to the family's withdrawal from the proceedings at the Elspark gravesite.
Roots of the confrontation
The tension surrounding the event is rooted in what the SACP describes as the “self-imposition” of the municipality on the ceremony, despite the family's express objections communicated well in advance.
This friction is not a new development; the Hani family has been raising concerns about the municipality's handling of these commemorations since 2025. This ongoing dispute previously led the family to engage the Department of Sports, Arts, and Culture, arguing that Chris Hani is a national figure whose legacy must be celebrated beyond the jurisdiction of a single region.
The SACP's position and family solidarity
In alignment with the family's stance, the SACP and Alliance leaders present at the grave site elected to postpone the ceremony by consensus. The Party emphasised that its relationship with the Hani family is not merely ceremonial but is rooted in a shared moral and political responsibility to defend Hani's revolutionary legacy in a disciplined and united manner.
As a result of these tensions, the 2025 event was moved to the Eastern Cape, and the current 2026 proceedings have been redirected to Mpumalanga to ensure the family's values remain at the forefront.
Details for the reconfigured 33rd anniversary
The official commemoration of the 33rd anniversary of Chris Hani's assassination will now take place on Friday, 10 April 2026. The event is scheduled for 10:00 AM at the Kwaggafontein Community Hall in the Ephraim Mogale District of Mpumalanga.
SACP General Secretary Solly Mapaila is set to deliver the keynote address, marking a definitive shift of the national tribute to the Thembisile Hani Local Municipality.