 While at the University of Fort Hare between 1959–1961 Hani was heavily exposed and influenced by Marxist ideology, claiming this to be due to the liberal nature of the campus.After completing his Bachelor of Latin and English at the Rhodes University in 1962 Hani joined the Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the military wing of the ANC.Due to his commitment to the MK, Hani was arrested under the ‘Suppression of Communism Act’ and exiled to Lesotho in 1963, where he changed his name to Chris (previously Thembisile) to assist in his hiding.