About this episode
The assassination of Chris Hani was a pivotal moment in the dismantling of South African apartheid. On the 10th of April, 1993, he was shot dead as he returned to his home in a quiet suburb of Johannesburg. Negotiations between Nelson Mandela's party and the ruling apartheid government had stalled, and the country was as close as it had ever been to civil war. The murder of Nelson Mandela's heir apparent forced the negotiators back to the table, where they would finally set a date for South Africa's first democratic election. But who exactly was Chris Hani? And why was his death such an incendiary event? Dan is joined by Justice Malala, a South African political commentator and author of the book The Plot to Save South Africa, to give us his account of this crucial figure in South African history. If you'd like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe to History Hit today! Download the History Hit app from the Google Play store. Download the History Hit app from the Apple Store. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.