Hani's widow declined apology offer - lawyer

Johannesburg - Chris Hani's widow Limpho has not taken up an invitation by Clive Derby-Lewis to visit him in hospital so that he can apologise for his part in the death of her husband, Derby-Lewis's laywer said on Thursday.

''No, there has been no response,'' said his attorney Julian Knight.

On Monday, Derby-Lewis's lawyers launched an application to review Justice and Correctional Services Minister Michael Masutha's decision to deny him parole on January 30.

Among his reasons was that Derby-Lewis had not shown remorse, but this was disputed by his lawyers who presented reams of assessment documents trying to show Judge Selby Baqwa that Derby-Lewis was a changed man.

Derby-Lewis's lawyer Roelof du Plessis had also extended an invitation by his client for Mrs Hani to visit him at the Eugene Marais Private Hospital in Pretoria where he is being treated for lung cancer.

''I again apologise unconditionally to her...'' his lawyer advocate Roelof Du Plessis said on behalf of the 79-year-old.

Du Plessis said Derby-Lewis wanted her to visit him at the hospital ''at which time I will tender a personal apology to Mrs Hani''.

Parole ruling

Judge Baqwa is expected to rule on Friday on whether Masutha was incorrect in denying Derby-Lewis parole.

In addition to the issue of remorse, the Medical Parole Advisory Board of 10 doctors was persuaded that Derby-Lewis's cancer was at Stage 3b, and not Stage 4. To be considered for medical parole, he would have to have been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, in terms of prisons laws and regulations.

Derby-Lewis was arrested for providing the gun used by Janusz Walus, a Polish immigrant, to kill the SA Communist Party leader in the driveway of his Boksburg home on April 10, 1993, when South Africa was close to its first democratic elections.

He was found guilty of conspiracy to commit murder and sentenced to death, but this was commuted to a life sentence after South Africa abolished capital punishment.

Knight said he was in the process of preparing a separate review for Walus, who had also been repeatedly denied parole and who had served 22 years.

''He is seven years past his consideration date,'' said Knight.