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ANC Youth League president Julius Malema.
Julius Malema, whose political career now hangs by the thinnest of threads, will continue serving as leader of the ANC Youth League until further notice, ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu has confirmed.
Confusion reigned this weekend after the ANC’s national disciplinary committee of appeals (NDCA) upheld a ruling by the national disciplinary committee (NDC) which in November found Malema and other youth league leaders guilty of sowing divisions within the ANC and bringing the party into disrepute.
The NDC’s decision to suspend Malema for five years was upheld by the appeal committee when it delivered its verdict on Saturday.
However, it also decided that Malema could give evidence in mitigation before the national disciplinary committee, but that the ANC would in turn be allowed to argue in aggravation.
For Malema, this means the length of his suspension could either be reduced or increased.
When the NDC found Malema guilty it also decided that he serve a two-year suspension as a result of pleading guilty to sowing divisions during his first disciplinary hearing in 2010 – and that this would run concurrently with the five-year suspension.
While the chairman of the appeal committee, Cyril Ramaphosa, made no mention on Saturday of whether or not the earlier suspension would take immediate effect, ANC spokesman Keith Khoza said it would.
But the ANC at the weekend distanced itself from the statement. “Cde Keith has already apologised for speaking out of turn and without a mandate on a matter that resides with the NDC and other leading structures of the ANC,” Mthembu said in a statement.
Speaking to Justice Malala on The Justice Factor on Sunday, Mthembu said people should not be “so hasty to remove people from their desks” and to allow “ANC processes to take their (course)”.
“We are a very serious organisation. We are not a kangaroo court. The ANC processes issues properly.
“Indeed, the leadership, including the NDC, will study and interpret the impact of the NDCA ruling with regard to the previous (2010) disciplinary case and act accordingly,” he said.
“Acting accordingly means also informing those who you are acting (against). It does not mean that we should then – as spokespersons – be speaking out of turn without any mandate on these matters.”
Mthembu told Independent Newspapers on Sunday: “These matters are in the jurisdiction of the NDC and the ANC leadership structures.
“That is all we are prepared to say for now. We think it would not be proper for anybody to suggest that, until these internal processes have taken hold, comrade Malema should not go to an NEC meeting. He remains ANC Youth League president until these processes have taken their course,” he stated.
It could not be established whether or not Malema was attending the NEC meeting in Pretoria at the weekend. He sits on the NEC by virtue of his presidency of the youth league.
Pressed for further clarification on Sunday, Mthembu said the NDC and the NEC should be left to deal with the matter in their own time “so that we don’t goad them into hasty action”.
“The appeals committee did not say anything on the previous (2010) disciplinary case. So the structures of the ANC, including the NDC that found on that previous case, must say what is the process moving forward.”
Writing online for Politicsweb, political analyst Eusebius McKaiser argued on Sunday that the ANC “forgot” to confirm whether or not it had informed Malema that his previous sentence now took effect.
“This is a loose end that will cause confusion for a day or three. They need to inform him in order to give effect to the previous suspended order…
“At any rate, given the hype and public confusion, the party would do well to, first, inform Malema of the implication and, second, to explain this to a confused public,” he added.
It was also not clear whether ANCYL secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa must publicly apologise to Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba within five days or whether this too could wait until he had argued in mitigation of his sentence. Malema, Magaqa and Malema’s right-hand man, Floyd Shivambu, whose three-year suspension was also upheld on appeal, have 14 days in which to do so.
Speculation is mounting as to whether Malema’s deputy, Ronald Lamola, will step up to fill his boots. The charge of barging into a meeting of the ANC’s top six officials was set aside by the appeal committee, which let Lamola, deputy league secretary-general Kenetswe Mosenogi and treasurer Pule Mabe off the hook.
The appeal committee’s decision has fuelled debate about succession within the league.
Lamola, seen as a staunch ally of Malema, could face a challenge from treasurer Mabe, who previously challenged Malema for the youth league leadership.
The organisation may be forced to call a national conference to elect and mandate an entirely new leadership.
Given that Malema continued to mock Zuma in public – by singing songs about the “shower man” causing the youth league problems – even as his disciplinary proceedings were under way, analysts have suggested that Malema could end up with an even stiffer sentence after evidence is heard in mitigation or aggravation of his sentence.
“The chances of a reduced sentence are zero… All that (arguments in mitigation) will achieve is to keep Malema politically on a life support system for a little while longer. It will not stave off the eventual outcome – political demise,” McKaiser argued.
Another possibility is that Malema may challenge the ANC in court. City Press on Sunday quoted “lawyers close to the case” as saying Malema had already “started preparing papers” in case he decided to go that route.
However, political analyst Karima Brown noted that, while this was technically possible, Malema had effectively closed that avenue himself by having previously taken other ANC members to task for dragging the party to the courts over internal disputes.
“So in a way (Malema) has already made the decision for himself. But he is a desperate man at this stage.
“He might want to go that route if he feels desperate enough to try to hang on (to the youth league presidency), because he needs to stay alive in the ANC structures for his political campaign to unseat Jacob Zuma to continue,” she told Malala on Sunday.
This view was supported by McKaiser, who noted that the “political cost of a court battle would ruin Malema”.
“For a man who will need political allies when possible tax evasion and money laundering charges surface, this would be a strategic misstep,” he added. Both Sars and the Hawks are investigating Malema’s financial dealings. - Political Bureau
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Anonymous, wrote
Malema must be tought a lesson, he is not bigger than the ANC, and he must know that what goes around comes around. He does not know where the struggle comes from until he makes a thourough and deep look into where does ANC comes from and how much did ANC contribute to South Africa then he will understand that you dont just stand in public and say whatever you want to say about the ANC. HE IS REALLY GOING TO NEED LEFE SUPPORT SYSTEM TO GET HIS CAREER BACK.
ANC MEMBER, wrote
We must also question, who speaks on behalf of the ANCYL NEC if it is not the President of the organsiation? If Malema indeed had endorsement from his executive to make such utterances, why is Malema charged as an individual? In an organisation that subscribes to internal democracy, Malema is not at liberty to subvert resolutions of the NEC.- There are rumours that Americans want to brick their Base in Botswana.who is going to be killed next bcause they killed bin Laden,Sadam,Gadaffi now they come to Botswana for What?Yes malema is right Botswana and ZUMA are threat to the continent of Africa
ANC MEMBER, wrote
We must also question, who speaks on behalf of the ANCYL NEC if it is not the President of the organsiation? If Malema indeed had endorsement from his executive to make such utterances, why is Malema charged as an individual? In an organisation that subscribes to internal democracy, Malema is not at liberty to subvert resolutions of the NEC.- There are rumours that Americans want to brick their Base in Botswana.who is going to be killed next bcause they killed bin Laden,Sadam,Gadaffi now they come to Botswana for What?Yes malema is right Botswana and ZUMA are threat to the continent of Africa
ANC MEMBER, wrote
We must also question, who speaks on behalf of the ANCYL NEC if it is not the President of the organsiation? If Malema indeed had endorsement from his executive to make such utterances, why is Malema charged as an individual? In an organisation that subscribes to internal democracy, Malema is not at liberty to subvert resolutions of the NEC.- There are rumours that Americans want to brick their Base in Botswana.who is going to be killed next bcause they killed bin Laden,Sadam,Gadaffi now they come to Botswana for What?Yes malema is right Botswana and ZUMA are threat to the continent of Africa
ANC MEMBER, wrote
malema is going nowhere,malema has enemies zuma too,the fight between them will destroy ANC as a whole,we vote ANC because we support malema some vote because of their support to Zuma.I don't know if Mantashe paid for malema membership.Viva Malema VIVA
Billy, wrote
SGN please please please GIVE ME THE EH MONEY AND I WILL VERY DEFINATELY GO. As for the anc ruling till the end of time!!oh you arrogant misdirected stupid fool-----look north you blind idiot Egypt Lybia South africas time is VERY VERY CLOSE SONNY JIM
Lesego, wrote
i wish the DC can double his suspension,let the HAWKS speed up the processes. Juju,what goes around comes around.The way you acumulated your wealth is the way you are going to loose it.
Anonymous, wrote
Please, ANCYL, can we keep the focus on South African youth development! You represent our children. This is a big and responsible task. Economics is supposed to come from and give rise to politics. We can see that the other way around does not work. Come on ANCYL. Times are hard for us all, young and old. You hold a lot of young people's lives and potentials in your hands. Get down to business, show us what young people can build and you will have the support of a lot of South Africans. Julius is too angry to be an effective leader and he never "talks economics". There are many good leaders in South Africa to choose from. May God bless Africa with the right direction for the young people.
zakes, wrote
B@ll, wrote
Lehanapuso take your JuJu and give him a golden shower. You deserve this clown and being uneducated will be your downfall
OutofAfrica, wrote
Simon Fourie, wrote
"Mitigation" means saying sorry, asking for leniency and saying I won't do it again. The first thing he said was that they are baboons.
Anonymous, wrote
Precious, wrote
Anonymous, wrote
Malema must go back to std 10 so that he can pass matric with an university entrance so that he may be able to further his studies as a capenter
@wayne, wrote
wayne, wrote
the future president of south africa. you are going to have a fun slide into oblivion. zimbabwefication is just a malema away. its fitting for a party and country that pretends on everything. the blinkered approach by non blacks who keep saying its "got the best beaches in the world, its got the best weather in the world.... and so on and so.. keep lying to yourself about what it is that keeps you tied to this burnt out rainbow nation run by a group of tin pot uneducated imbeciles who spout any rhetoric that the uneducated masses love to hear. the old colonial african train is long time over and you dont belong there anymore. we never did. time to move on and get out to back to the civilized world.
JennyN, wrote
SGN - There is no such thing as an "ANC internal matter" They are public servants, using our money to fund their incompetence and to generously feather their own nests. That is YOUR money as well, SGN. You need to start thinking for yourself, and realise that all South Africans deserve better than this - including you! We love our country, but the ruling party that you blindly follow, is destroying it and continue to fuel the flames of racism in order to move the spotlight from their own complete and utter failure. They are not deserving of respect. The young people of this beautiful country deserve much, much more than the ancyl has to offer. This "ANC internal matter" is costing us millions. Juju is corrupt and dishonest, and costing us millions - our money, not theirs, that should be spent on us, not them. Please think before you post such a vindictive and spiteful mail. You are also bearing the brunt of their blind greed and stupidity. Think about it. If we are stuck with the anc, then we must make it our business to hold them accountable. We need to vote for the DA to ensure that there is a strong opposition keeping tabs on them. They should not be allowed to run roughshod over the public as they do. The secrecy bill must be stopped, and the media must stop focusing on Juju. Let him fade into obscurity (that we should be so lucky!).
Anon, wrote
Henk, wrote
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