Julius Malema’s disciplinary hearing wrapped up late last night after a gruelling 12-hour session at Luthuli House, but the fate of the ANC Youth League leader will not be revealed to the South African public for at least another week.
The ruling ANC has charged Malema with bringing the party into disrepute and sowing division within its ranks.
The final day of the disciplinary hearing, which began at 10am, continued through Sunday night at Luthuli House in Johannesburg, as Malema’s lawyers, advocates Dali Mpofu and Patric Mtshaulana, argued for the charges to be dropped.
The closing arguments concluded just after 10pm, said spokesperson Keith Khoza.
The outcome would be announced to the public by the end of next week as the ANC disciplinary committee needed a few days to write the ruling, said committee chair Derek Hanekom. The report would then be sent to ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe.
Later, however, Khoza told the Times newspaper that there was no “firm date” for when the outcome would be made public..
At the weekend, the Sunday Times reported that the closing arguments by Malema’s team would follow the line established by Housing Minister Tokyo Sexwale and Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, who have said that the charges should have been approved by the ANC’s national executive committee before being formally levelled against Malema.
But the Times quoted Khoza as saying on Sunday that this was procedurally impossible as the national executive committee was an appeals body.
“When they deal with a matter, it must be a new matter presented to them,” Khoza, told the newspaper.
Substance of the matter
The charges relate to a a claim by Malema earlier this year that the league would send a team to Botswana to consolidate local opposition parties and help bring about regime change.
Malema subsequently apologised for the remarks.
Also charged are ANCYL spokesperson Floyd Shivambu, deputy president Ronald Lamola, treasurer general Pule Mabe, secretary general Sindiso Magaqa, and deputy secretary general Kenetswe Mosenogi.
Malema’s first appearance before the committee took place at Luthuli House in September, but the venue was changed after violence erupted on the streets surrounding the ANC’s headquarters.
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.
He was warned at the time that he may be expelled from the party if found guilty again. — Additional reporting by Sapa, Reuters, Staff reporter