Chris Hani's family slams decay of SOEs, high cost of living

JOHANNESBURG - Chris Hani’s widow, Limpho, has lambasted the African National Congress (ANC) - saying its government has failed the late struggle icon and millions of destitute South Africans.

She says there seems to be no political will to save the country from corruption, failing state institutions, poverty and the soaring cost of living.

Hani’s widow was speaking at the former South African Communist Party general secretary’s 31st commemoration at his burial site in Boksburg on Wednesday.

With the country commemorating 31 years since Hani’s assassination and 30 years of democracy – Limpho weighed in on the current state of the country.

She looked the ANC’s secretary general - Fikile Mbalula - in the eye when boldly stating that her husband didn’t die for South Africans to continue living in struggle.

“Today, we’re hurt because it was not worth his life. It was not worth me being a widow. It was not worth my children being fatherless.”

She also slammed the government for failing to stabilise Eskom, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and other SOEs.

“Our electrical gadgets are broken, the cost of living is too high, food prices have gone up, petrol prices have gone up and transportation has gone up. Why is the government not cushioning our people on electricity?”

She said the Cabinet is bloated with ministers who are yet to prove their competency.

But during his speech, Mbalula admitted that mistakes had been made in the last 30 years but also acknowledged some of the ANC’s successes.