Right-Wing Groups - South African Government Information

129. Walus and Derby-Lewis were both thought to have strong ties with members of
two international right-wing organisations, namely the World Preservatist Movement
(WPB) and the World Apartheid Movement (WAM). Despite suspicion of a larg e r
conspiracy behind Hani’s death, the Commission found no evidence that the
two convicted killers took orders from either of these international groups, nor
f rom members of the security forces or higher up in the right-wing echelons.
130. Both applicants and numerous other witnesses testified at a hearing that lasted
for several weeks. In addition, a substantial volume of documents and exhibits
as well as full written arguments were placed before the Amnesty Committee.
131. The application was strenuously opposed by the Hani family and the SACP.
The testimony of Clive Derby-Lewis
132. The Committee found that Mr Clive Derby-Lewis was a seasoned politician
steeped in conservative politics who had been popular in Afrikaner right-wing
c i rcles at the time of the incident. He was an English-speaking South African
with a distinguished military background. He had been one of the founder members
of the Conservative Party (CP) which had been launched in February 1982,
had re p resented the party in Parliament during the period May 1987 to
September 1989 and had served on the Pre s i d e n t ’s Council from September
1989 until the assassination.
133. Right-wing organisations were convinced that the political reforms of the early
1990s would result in the destruction of the Afrikaner’s culture, values and way
of life. It was in this context that Derby-Lewis and Walus plotted the assassination
of Mr Hani. Their hope was that the followers of Mr Hani, many of them young
people, would react to his assassination by causing widespread mayhem. This
would create an opportunity for the security forces and the right wing to step in
to re s t o re order and take over the government of the country.
134. They never obtained the express authority of the CP for the assassination, nor
w e re they acting upon the instructions or orders of the CP. Derby-Lewis had
engaged in a discussion with Dr Tre u rnicht who indicated that it would be justified
to kill the anti-Christ in a situation of war. Derby-Lewis contended that his
senior position in the CP gave him the necessary authority to take the decision
to assassinate Mr Hani on behalf of the CP.
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