ANC Youth League president Julius Malema should prepare himself for suspension from the ruling party, media reports said on Thursday morning.
The Star reported that “party insiders” had said the African National Congress national disciplinary committee would find Malema guilty of bringing the ruling party into disrepute.
According to the newspaper’s sources, disciplinary committee chair Derek Hanekom would recommend that he be suspended for a year.
The ANC will make a public announcement about its finding on Malema at 10am. He will not be there because he is writing exams in Limpopo.
Business Day also reported that Malema could expect a one-year suspension from the ANC.
It cited “numerous ANC sources” as saying Malema would be found guilty and suspended.
If Malema was found guilty, he could appeal to the ANC’s national appeals committee, chaired by businessman Cyril Ramaphosa.
Business Day reported that this would be Malema’s last avenue, as the ANC’s constitution stated that a member was allowed only one chance to appeal.
According to the Sowetan newspaper, the prosecuting team was understood to have advised the disciplinary committee that Malema be found guilty and suspended on the charge relating to his statement on Botswana.
Earlier this year, Malema said the ANCYL would send a team to Botswana to consolidate local opposition parties and help bring about regime change there.
His remarks were widely believed to have caused serious diplomatic embarrassment for the ANC.
Malema subsequently apologised for the remarks, but charges were still brought against him.
Charged with Malema and his spokesman, Floyd Shivambu, are ANCYL deputy president Ronald Lamola, treasurer general Pule Mabe, secretary general Sindiso Magaqa and deputy secretary general Kenetswe Mosenogi.
Business Day reported that it had been told that Malema’s co-accused would get warnings.
The group of youth league leaders, excluding Malema, were to meet the ruling party’s disciplinary committee at the party’s Luthuli House headquarters in Johannesburg on Thursday morning.
Closing arguments in the hearing ended late on Sunday night and the disciplinary committee took the next three days to deliberate.
Out in force
A huge metro police contingent was deployed outside Luthuli House in central Johannesburg on Thursday morning, ahead the announcement of the hearing’s decision.
President and Sauer streets were closed for security reasons by 7am, said Johannesburg metro police spokesman Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar.
“Our officers have been deployed to monitor the situation around Luthuli House,” said Minnaar.
“They will be there for the rest of the day,” he said.
Should Malema be found guilty, he would reportedly continue in his position until sentencing, after which he would have 14 days to appeal.
Malema’s first appearance before the ANC disciplinary committee took place at Luthuli House at the end of August. It was moved after violence erupted in the Johannesburg CBD.
Youth league members and supporters threw rocks, bottles and bricks at journalists and police, and burnt ANC flags and T-shirts bearing the image of President Jacob Zuma.
History of discipline
This is not Malema’s first time in front of the ANC’s disciplinary committee. In May last year, he was hauled over the coals for accusing President Jacob Zuma of being worse than former president Thabo Mbeki for berating him in public.
After a bungled prosecution, Malema was eventually ordered to apologise to Zuma, to pay a R10 000 fine, and was sent to a political school and to anger-management classes.
The national disciplinary committee at the time said should Malema be found guilty of provoking serious divisions or a break-down of unity in the organisation within the next two years, his ANC membership would be suspended. — Additional reporting by Sapa, Reuters, Staff reporter
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