The South African Communist Party (SACP) has called for an inquest into the death of its former general secretary, Chris Hani.

This year marks 30 years since Hani was assassinated.

As part of the commemoration, the party has started an online petition to garner support for an inquest.

Hani's nephew, Mphatheli Hani, said that he was not aware of the petition, but he fully supported it.

"The family appreciates any effort to bring more information to light regarding the assassination. We have said on record that we have questions, and that we believe there is information about the assassination that has not been shared," he said.

"We accept, of course, the recent Constitutional Court judgment on the [Janusz Walus] matter. As of now, as a family, there is nothing more we can do."

SACP spokesperson Mhlekwa Nxumalo said the party had repeatedly called for an inquest into Hani's death, but had recently renewed this demand following the release of one of his murderers on parole last year.

Nxumalo said many questions surrounding Hani's death remain, and an inquest would offer closure to his family.

"We still believe the truth has not been told about who was involved and what led to his assassination," said Nxumalo. "We think the inquest is the only way to get closure."

Nxumalo added that more information needed to come to light about allegations that a South African Defence Force firearm was supplied to Hani's killers. Also, that an alleged hit list – featuring the names and addresses of struggle leaders – was found.

We have a number of questions. We deserve to know the truth. The family deserves to know the truth, so that they can rest.

"We’re convinced that an inquest, as painful as it may be, is the only solution."

After spending 28 years in prison for the assassination of Hani, Walus was released from prison in December on the order of the Constitutional Court. He was placed on parole under strict conditions.

Walus was sentenced to death for the murder of Hani in 1993, but the sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment after the death penalty was abolished.

After his death sentence was commuted, he became eligible for parole in 2005 and started applying to be released on parole in 2011. However, he was denied multiple times over the years.

Clive Derby-Lewis, who was also handed a life sentence for the murder, died in 2016.

Both Walus and Derby-Lewis were denied amnesty at the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

The petition, which had more than 700 signatures on Tuesday morning, called for "justice and absolute truth about his [Hani's] killing".