The man who assassinated Chris Hani 23 years ago, Janusz Walus, is a naturalised South African citizen, South Africa’s home affairs department said on Friday.

The department said in a statement it “noted reports relating to the citizenship status of Polish immigrant, Janusz Walus, who was convicted for the murder of Chris Hani, the former General Secretary of the South African Communist Party (SACP)”.

“We wish to put it on record that Mr Walus was granted a permanent residence permit in 1981 prior to attaining citizenship through the naturalisation process in 1987 under legislation administered by the apartheid government,” the department said.

“In this regard, the Department of Home Affairs will monitor developments and will comment further at an appropriate time.”

The comments came after the African National Congress called for Walus to be deported following the North Gauteng ruling that he be released on parole.

“The African National Congress demands that Janusz Walus is immediately deported to his country of origin on his release; never to return to South Africa,” a statement from the ruling party said.

Walus, 63, who left then communist Poland in 1981 to join his family in South Africa, shot and killed Hani on Easter Sunday April 10, 1993. He was later convicted and sentenced to death, but this was commuted to life.

He approached the high court after the justice minister denied his application for parole last year.

The man who aided him in Hani’s assassination, Clive Derby-Lewis, was released on medical parole last year.