The Eastern Cape ANCYL has resolved to disregard its president Julius Malema's possible suspension until after a pronouncement on the matter at the ANC conference in December, the Dispatch Online reported on Wednesday.

“Julius is still the president, even if the mitigation can arrive at the same conclusion (that he be suspended) – any discussion of a post-Julius era is premature at this stage,” ANCYL provincial secretary Mziwonke Ndabeni was quoted as saying.

At the weekend, the league’s provincial executive committee (PEC) resolved to ask the league’s national executive committee (NEC) to intervene on Malema’s behalf.

Ndabeni said the Eastern Cape would propose that the NEC of the parent body should exhaust the two further options provided for by the ANC constitution to save Malema.

These were to take it to the ANC NEC for discussion, and if that failed, to write a discussion document which must be tabled at the national congress, for consideration.

“Between now and December, there is still that room for engagement. Those are part of the appeal processes which are in the ANC constitution. Once we take those two steps, it means that the suspension of Julius, the sanction and the sentence will not be enforced until those steps are concluded,” said Ndabeni.

Ndabeni said talks on who would succeed Malema if he were to leave were “not even in our plan”.

The ANC's disciplinary committee of appeals announced on Saturday it had dismissed appeals by Malema, his spokesman Floyd Shivambu, and four other ANCYL officials to overturn their suspensions. The four others are deputy president Ronald Lamola, treasurer general Pule Mabe, secretary general Sindiso Magaqa and deputy secretary general Kenetswe Mosenogi.

They were given two weeks to prepare arguments in mitigation of their suspensions. – Sapa