Axed ANC Youth League president Julius Malema remained defiant on Wednesday night, telling supporters gathered at his grandmother’s home in Seshego, outside Polokwane, that the ANC remained his home.
A high-spirited Malema was speaking to more than 100 supporters shortly after the ANC announced his expulsion from the party.
As the crowd gathered, several shots were fired by Malema supporters towards a rival faction outside his grandmother’s house, according to eyewitnesses. No injuries were reported.
As tensions heightened, seven police cars arrived to keep the different factions apart. Bottles were thrown and more shots fired while a team from The Star was at the scene.
“I will die with my boots on, I will die for what I believe in,” Malema told the crowd. “We must accept the decision, but that is not the end of the road. It is still early to celebrate. The road ahead of us is very long.
“I have not done anything wrong. I have not stolen (from) anybody. I have not killed anybody,” he said.
“I’m persecuted for speaking on behalf of the ANCYL… I’ve never been a sell-out and I’m not going to sell out today.”
He was not surprised by the verdict, saying he’d read it in a morning newspaper before the announcement. “It means this country (and the ANC) is run by the media.”
Even though he has been expelled, Malema said “the ANC remains my home. My blood is black, green and gold.”
The ANC’s national disciplinary committee (NDC) said on Wednesday night that Malema was a repeat offender and must leave the ANC and his youth league position immediately.
He has 14 days to appeal.
Wednesday night’s ruling cited the fact that Malema was found guilty in May 2010 on a similar count of misconduct.
“The ANC constitution demands that discipline be enforced without exception,” the committee said.
“The cumulative effect of Malema’s past and present offences, coupled with his own evidence of a lack of remorse and disrespect for the ANC constitution and its structures, particularly the (national disciplinary committee of appeals), has left no room for the NDC to consider his misconduct as anything but extremely serious,” said committee chairman Derek Hanekom.
He ruled out a suspended sentence for Malema.
“Malema is a repeat offender. He has now been found guilty of two serious offences in less than two years while under suspension in the 2010 finding.
“He has shown no remorse. He is not prepared to be disciplined by the ANC and is not prepared to respect the disciplinary machinery of the organisation.”
Malema was also lambasted for failing to accept committee of appeals head Cyril Ramaphosa’s ruling after he upheld his guilty verdict on the two main counts.
Malema’s lieutenants, Floyd Shivambu – the ANCYL head of communication– and secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa received lighter sentences.
Hanekom retained the sentence against Shivambu, rejecting his claims that the decision to charge him for his comments on Botswana were politically motivated. “The ANC has a policy on (how to conduct party-to-party relations) and Shivambu contravened that policy.”
Shivambu’s ANC and youth league memberships were suspended for three years, during which time he must vacate both positions.
He also has a right to appeal.
Magaqa’s membership was conditionally suspended for three years on condition that he “make a public apology to (Public Enterprises Minister) Malusi Gigaba within 15 days… If he failed to do this, his suspension would kick in”.
He also can appeal.
Around the corner from where Malema and his supporters had gathered on Wednesday night, celebrations for his demise were in full swing.
His detractors carried a replica of a tombstone, reading “Julius Malema R.I.P.”
They honked their hooters, and music blared from their cars.
During the cacophony, Malema dared those celebrating his demise to chant at his grandmother’s house as they had done previously.
“They must not visit my grandmother in my absence. My grandmother is not part of the problem.”
Malema said the ANCYL was “the hope for the hopeless and the voice for the voiceless”.
After addressing his supporters, Malema evoked their emotions by singing Senzeni na (What have we done?), asking his nemesis, ANC president Jacob Zuma, to explain how the ANCYL had wronged him.
Some of the ANC leaders who visited Malema in Seshego on Wednesday included Pinkie Kekana, the ANC provincial treasurer, and Lawrence Mapoulo, the party’s chairman in the Peter Mokaba region of Limpopo.
*How the Juju saga went down
June 5: Malema tells Limpopo ANC that Mbeki was the best leader the party has ever produced.
June 17: Malema is re-elected unopposed for a second term as league president.
June 18: He tells league delegates that Africa needs a new breed of leaders.
August 1: Malema calls for regime change in Botswana, saying he will send a “Botswana command team” to work towards a united opposition against President Ian Khama’s “puppet regime”.
August 1: ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu hits back, saying this is a clear demonstration that “the ANCYL’s ill-discipline has crossed the political line”.
August 14: Malema withdraws his Botswana statement and apologises.
August 21: The league calls for an urgent meeting withthe ANC to discuss the charges against its leadership.
August 26: Senior Limpopo ANC leaders aligned with Malema tell youth leaders to revolt against Jacob Zuma’s leadership.
August 30: Police clash with Malema supporters who march on Luthuli House to demand that charges be dropped.
November 10: The ANC suspends Malema from the ruling party for five years.
November 10: Malema vows to fight on until he “defeats the enemy”.
November 16: He appeals against his ANC suspension.
February 29, 2012: The ANC appeals committee delivers its ruling. – Sapa