ANCYL Leader Expelled by the Ruling Party in South Africa

Julius Malema, President of the African National Congress Youth League in South Africa, has been expelled by the parent organization. He stood outside his grandmother's home with supporters after the news broke., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

ANCYL seeks Malema ‘political solution’

Saturday, 03 March 2012 00:00

JOHANNESBURG — A “political solution” needs to be found to the expulsion of Julius Malema from the ANC, the Eastern Cape ANCYL said on Thursday. “We don’t believe that the ANC should expel members of its preparatory school, rather should respond with a corrective intention and not through extreme punitive measures,” spokesperson Nkosinathi Nomatiti said in a statement.

He likened the expulsion of ANCYL leader Malema from the ruling party, and the suspension of two other league officials, to the banning of liberation movements under apartheid.

“We do not believe that the ANC can at any stage behave in a manner that is no different from what the rogue apartheid regime did when it banned liberation movements in South Africa in the past.

“Hence we are hopeful of a political solution.

He said the decision by the ANC’s disciplinary committee amounted to “political intolerance”, “extreme intimidation”, and was an attempt to close down “democratic space” within the movement.

Nomatiti added that the Eastern Cape’s ANCYL respected the ANC, its structures and decisions and viewed them as binding on ANC members.

Meanwhile the ANC Youth League national executive committee would meet at the weekend to discuss Malema’s expulsion.”

(The NEC) will convene on Sunday to seek guidance from the leadership . . . on the way forward,” league spokesperson Floyd Shivambu said in a statement on Thursday.

Shivambu said the league would hold a news briefing on Monday, and Malema would conduct an interview with the SABC’s Metro FM in the evening.

“Members of the media are advised to respect this approach.” Shivambu extended the ANCYL’s gratitude to everyone who had sent messages of support following Wednesday’s decision by the ANC’s national disciplinary committee to expel Malema.

He thanked members of the ANC and the league who “went to defend” Malema’s house in Seshego, near Polokwane in Limpopo, from “rascals”.

Malema detractors drove around Seshego in the early hours on Thursday, taunting his supporters by carrying a tombstone fashioned from a cardboard box.

It had the words “RIP Julius S Malema”, “dictator” and “corrupted” written on it.

Malema, who was recently referred to as the “chief commander of economic freedom”, was found guilty of sowing division in the ANC and of bringing the organisation into disrepute. — SAPA.


Malema expelled from ANC

Friday, 02 March 2012 00:00

Malema addressed hundreds of his supporters who had gathered outside his grandmother's house

JOHANNESBURG. — Julius Malema has been expelled from the ANC and told to vacate his position as president of the ANC Youth League. According to the ruling party’s national disciplinary committee, headed by Derek Hanekom, Malema has 14 days to appeal against the decision. In a hard-hitting
statement late last night, the committee said Malema had shown no remorse in his conduct and that he had continued to defy the organisation.

“Cde Malema is a repeat offender. He has now been found guilty of two serious offences in under two years while under suspension after his 2010 finding; has shown no remorse; is not prepared to be disciplined by the ANC and is not prepared to respect the disciplinary machinery of the organisation.

“Based on Cde Malema’s own evidence, the NDC finds that Cde Malema is, in effect, reneging on his membership oath and is not prepared to respect the ANC’s constitution,” it said.

Last night, hundreds of ANC Youth League members gathered outside Malema’s grandparents’ home in Seshego, Limpopo, in support of the disgraced youth leader. But elsewhere in the township, a group carrying a mock coffin could be seen roaming the streets in celebration of Malema’s demise.

Malema on Wednesday night said he had accepted the ANC’s decision to expel him but had not given up hope.

“I am a soldier who is prepared to die in battle. Even if I am expelled from the ANC, my blood will remain black, gold and green. I am prepared to do blood tests to prove that,” said Malema.

He said he had expected the decision since he had read media reports.

Yesterday, people in Seshego started gathering outside as early as 2pm as soon as they heard that the disciplinary committee would announce its decision.

Others said they were celebrating the “fall of a dictator”.

Malema, ANC Youth League spokesman Floyd Shivambu and secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa unsuccessfully appealed against their suspensions after ANC leaders had laid charges of ill-discipline against them.

The national disciplinary committee also ruled that Magaqa’s membership be suspended for three years. This sanction was suspended for three years but will kick in if he is found guilty of misconduct during the period of suspension.

Shivambu’s ANC Youth League membership was suspended for three years. He must also vacate his position as a member of the youth league’s national executive committee.
Both Magaqa and Shivambu can appeal against their sanctions within 14 days.

“The NDC is of the view that all three respondents were found guilty of committing serious offences which warrant either suspension or expulsion from the organisation,” said Hanekom.

The ANC called on its members to respect the findings and verdict.

Malema’s expulsion is expected to test President Jacob Zuma’s leadership in the organisation as some within the youth league are determined to challenge his authority.

The defiance against Zuma became public last week when he was heckled by youth league members while delivering an ANC centenary lecture in Cape Town.

Yesterday morning attention was expected to be on Zuma when he makes a political input at the ANC NEC political school.

Political analyst Steven Friedman said “the saga is still continuing, this is not the final word. The important point is that he (Malema) still has the right to appeal.

“People must be familiar with these processes. He is still a member of the ANC until the appeal process is complete.”

Another political analyst Eusebius McKaiser told eNews on Wednesday night that he believed that the fact that Malema had shown “no remorse” after his conviction had resulted in a more severe sentence.

McKaiser pointed out that Malema’s legal team had, during their arguments in mitigation of sentence, continued to insist that he was innocent.

In its findings, the NDC said though Malema had testified that he subjected himself to the discipline of the ANC and that he would respect sanctions it imposed, he, however, remained defiant.

“In his evidence-in-chief, Cde Malema said that he did not agree with the findings of the NDCA and repeated it under cross-examination. He said he was not persuaded by the NDCA findings and will continue to challenge the outcome internally because he was unfairly found guilty. He said the disciplinary proceedings will come to an end but the real battle will start after that when the ANC has to persuade the youth.

“In the NDC’s view, this evidence is indicative of Comrade Malema’s unrepentant attitude and non-acceptance of the findings of the disciplinary machinery of the ANC, particularly the NDCA.”

As Malema and his supporters in the youth league deal with the verdict, the battle to succeed him is expected to intensify.

Youth league treasurer-general Pule Mabe is said to be lobbying structures to elect him to the top post even though Malema’s deputy Ronald Lamola is a likely candidate.

The ANC pressed charges of sowing divisions in the party and bringing it “into disrepute” against Malema and the other youth league leaders last August.

This was after he called for regime change in neighbouring Botswana and claimed the country’s president, Ian Khama, was a “puppet” of the United States and made comments comparing Zuma unfavourably to former president Thabo Mbeki. Malema was already serving a suspended sentence for bringing the ANC and the government into disrepute over comments he made on a trip to Zimbabwe in 2010, and other indiscretions.

In May 2010, Malema entered into a plea bargain over the charges. He was fined
R10 000, made to apologise in public and attend anger management classes, which never happened. The ANC’s national disciplinary committee at the time said should Malema be found guilty of provoking serious divisions or a breakdown of unity in the organisation within the next two years, his ANC membership would be suspended. —

timeslive.co.za/Sapa.