The ANC Youth League’s (ANCYL) leadership had still not submitted an appeals application to the national appeal committee by late on Thursday afternoon, the African National Congress said.
ANC spokesperson Keith Khoza said at 6pm that the youth league had until midnight to lodge the appeal.
League president Julius Malema, who was in Bloemfontein on Thursday to address the memorial lecture of Tebogo Sikisi, will only be allowed to attend the ANC’s national executive committee meeting starting on Friday in the city if the appeal is lodged in time.
The youth league could not be immediately reached for comment, but Malema said of himself and his co-accused: “We are going to be suspended. We do not care. We are not about to be sell outs. We are ready for anything.”
Earlier, spokesperson Magdalene Moonsamy said the youth league leaders would submit their appeal on Thursday, but she would not say when.
ANCYL ‘independent of ANC’
Malema, league spokesperson Floyd Shivambu, deputy president Ronald Lamola, treasurer general Pule Mabe, secretary general Sindiso Magaqa and deputy secretary general Kenetswe Mosenogi were found guilty and sanctioned by the ANC’s national disciplinary committee (NDC) two weeks ago.
Malema was given a five-year suspension and told to vacate his position as president, while Shivambu was suspended for three years and also told to vacate his post.
The ANC membership of the other four leaders was suspended for two years, with the sanction itself suspended for three years.
They were expected to argue that the league was independent of the ANC and that the NDC had relied on the league’s “old” constitution when it handed down its sentences. — Sapa