The ANC will announce the fate of ANC Youth League president Julius Malema late on Wednesday afternoon, said the chairman of the party's national disciplinary committee (NDC).
“The national disciplinary committee of the African National Congress has met and received mitigating and aggravating arguments as per the directive of the African National Congress' national disciplinary committee of appeals (NDCA),” chairman Derek Hanekom said in a statement.
“Having heard arguments from both parties involved on the matter, the NDC has applied its collective mind.
“Having said we will inform the public of our decision, we will be releasing a statement in the late afternoon today, 29 February 2012, after informing all the parties involved and the organisation on the matter, as informed by our constitution,” he said.
In November, the NDC found Malema guilty of bringing the ANC into disrepute and of sowing division in the party.
He was suspended from the ANCYL for five years and was ordered to vacate his position as its president.
Found guilty with him were ANCYL spokesman Floyd Shivambu, deputy president Ronald Lamola, treasurer general Pule Mabe, secretary general Sindiso Magaqa and deputy secretary general Kenetswe Mosenogi.
Shivambu, who insulted a journalist, was suspended for three years.
Magaqa, who was found to have made derogatory and potentially defamatory statements about Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba, received an 18-month suspension, suspended for three years, on condition he apologise within five days of receiving the penalty or appealing against it.
Malema, Magaqa, Lamola, Mabe and Mosenogi were also found guilty of disrupting an ANC meeting on August 8. Their membership was suspended for two years, and the sanction itself was suspended for three years.
In February, the NDCA dismissed this charge of misconduct, but upheld the other verdicts and sentences. They were granted leave to present evidence in mitigation.
Having heard that evidence, and evidence in aggravation of sentence, the NDC could now decide to hand down harsher sentences.
Malema also faces the prospect of the imposition of a further suspension arising from a guilty finding in 2010.
At the time, the NDC ordered him to apologise to President Jacob Zuma, attend anger management classes, pay a R10,000 to a youth development project and attend the ANC’s political school for 20 days for provoking divisions in the party.
It ruled that, should he be found guilty of a similar offence within two years, his membership of the ANC would be suspended for a period to be determined by the NDC.
The New Age newspaper, quoting unnamed sources, reported on Wednesday that it was likely that Malema would be expelled.
Earlier this month, the Sunday World tipped Lamola to take over as acting ANCYL president. - Sapa