Cyril Ramaphosa and the ANC’s national disciplinary committee of appeals now holds ANC Youth League President Julius Malema’s future in his hands.
Ramaphosa is chairman of the committee of appeals, which on Tuesday concluded the oral hearing in Malema’s appeal application.
The committee includes Minister in the Presidency for Planning Trevor Manuel, Justice Minister Jeff Radebe, head of planning and evaluation at Luthuli House Jessie Duarte and national executive committee member Brigitte Mabandla.
The appeals committee, in a press statement on Tuesday, said: “The national disciplinary committee of appeal has met for two days (January 23 and 24) to listen to submissions from both the (ANC) and (ANCYL).
“Having heard both sides, the (appeals committee) will be making its decision in due course.”
The Star understands that during the proceedings, lead prosecutor Uriel Abrahamse took several hours trying to convince Ramaphosa and his team that Malema and his co-accused’s appeal application was groundless and without merit.
Abrahamse also rejected the view that the league was an autonomous body. The objection came after Malema made key submissions in his appeal application.
One of Malema’s key arguments was that ANC president Jacob Zuma and his top five did not have authority to lay disciplinary charges against members of the league, but that the entire ANC NEC had that right.
Malema also argued that he was not given an opportunity to argue in mitigation of sentence before the decision to suspend his ANC membership and league leadership.
He also argued that according to the youth league’s June elective conference last year, he was entitled to his position despite the disciplinary committee’s ruling.
Malema was appealing against the national disciplinary committee’s ruling that slapped him with a five-year suspension after finding him guilty of bringing the ANC into disrepute and sowing division within the ruling party.
He was also ordered to vacate his post as ANCYL president with immediate effect.
Malema and ANCYL spokes-man Floyd Shivambu weretold to stand down from their positions as league leaders. The others were suspended.
The decision to suspend Malema’s membership for five years followed his conviction on two main counts of misconduct. One relates to a statement he made on July 31 in which he said the ANC was no longer dealing with issues affecting the African agenda.
National disciplinary committee chairman Derek Hanekom found Malema had falsely remarked that the ANC had promoted the African agenda effectively in multilateral platforms during the presidency of Thabo Mbeki.
“It is not true that the ANC abandoned Africa. In light of the above, Malema’s remarks sowed division and disunity within the ANC. He is, therefore, personally liable for his comments,” he said. - The Star