Malema suspension to be challenged

The ANC's disciplinary committee found him guilty of provoking serious divisions in the ANC and bringing the organisation into disrepute, committee chairman Derek Hanekom said yesterday. The charges related to him deliberately disrupting a meeting of ANC officials along with four other Youth League leaders in August this year, to comments made about former President Thabo Mbeki and bringing about regime change in Botswana. He was found not guilty of sowing racial or political intolerance. Malema had 14 days to appeal the disciplinary committee's sanctions - which the Youth League said it would do (see report below) , Hanekom said. He had been suspended for five years and would continue to receive full pay until the appeal process was concluded. Full report in The Citizen

Hanekom said the ANCYL's 'arrogant' spokesperson Floyd Shivambu also had to vacate his position. He was found guilty of two charges relating to swearing at a journalist and his press statement about regime change in Botswana. The ANC's national disciplinary committee noted his 'arrogance and defiance'. Shivambu's ANCYL membership was suspended for three years. The Youth League's secretary general Sindiso Magaqa was found guilty of making a derogatory statement about Public Enterprise Minister Malusi Gigaba. The NDC found he undermined the ANC and Gigaba's position as Minister and placed foreign investment into SA at risk. ANCYL deputy president Ronald Lamola, treasurer-general Pule Mabe, Magaqa and deputy secretary general Kenetswe Mosenogi all had their Youth League membership suspended for two years. This sanction was suspended for three years, Hanekom said. Committee's edited findings

The Youth League claims it has already found an argument to appeal against the suspensions of its leadership, says a report on the News24 site. Not being able to present mitigating circumstances ahead of the suspensions would be a good enough ground for appeal, said secretary general Sindiso Magaqa. 'This is one of the most basic and primary rights which is afforded to any person who is charged in any forum. Even the most hardened of criminals enjoys this basic right,' he said. 'While the ANCYL (national executive committee) is still to consider the rulings, this procedural lapse alone is a good ground of appeal.' The league had already formally registered its objections in this regard, Magaqa said. He said the league's national executive committee would meet at the weekend to discuss the way forward. Full report on the News24 site

And Malema has vowed an appeal will go ahead, eNews reported. A report on the News24 site notes that the broadcaster said he conveyed this message to supporters after writing exams in Polokwane in Limpopo. Malema said the gloves were off and that it was time to confront and fight the enemy. Even if he was not the ANCYL president, the masses needed to continue the good fight, Malema reportedly said. Malema was not in Johannesburg at the time of the announcement because he was writing an exam at the Polokwane campus of the University of SA. Full report on the News24 site See also a Beeld report

Political analysts note that yesterday's decision was only the beginning of Malema's troubles. A Volksblad report points out that he is facing investigations by the Hawks, SARS and the Public Protector. The University of the Western Cape's Kenny Bafo said the stripping of his political power could signal the end for Malema. He believes Malema will now wash more ANC dirty laundry in public. The North West University's André Duvenhage agreed that Malema still has more trouble on the horizon, but this did not mean the end of his political career. 'He will mobilise and organise support behind the scenes,' he said. Full Volksblad report

The political implications of the decision are discussed at length in various media reports, not least Business Day, which says President Jacob Zuma's path to re-election as president of the ANC received a boost with Malema's suspension. It also notes Malema will be hoping that the ANC's national executive committee will overturn the conviction and sentence, should his appeal be unsuccessful. The committee was empowered to review decisions of the ANC's disciplinary committee, Hanekom said yesterday. The report says the campaign to unseat Zuma could be severely weakened if Malema's appeal fails. He has been the public face of a bid to replace Zuma with his deputy Kgalema Motlanthe at the ANC's elective conference in Mangaung next year. Full Business Day report

'Much will depend on whether the leadership has the stomach to follow the disciplinary process with a thorough implementation of the sentence throughout all forums of the organisation,' said Nic Borain, independent political analyst. He added: 'We shouldn't forget that important individuals and constituencies have backed Malema through this process.' A report on the News24 site notes that Jeff Gable, chief economist, Absa Capital, said: 'Given that Malema was seen as an important point-person for political factions within the ANC that have been looking to insert a more radical set of policies around land reform and state intervention in the mining sector, as well as a lightning rod for an anti-Zuma campaign, it is likely to be viewed as an important strengthening of President Zuma. All of this matters more than usual, as the political battle lines within the ANC and its partners continue to shift ahead of next year's highly important ANC policy conference (mid-year) and elective conference (December 2012).' Full report on the News24 site

Opposition groups have lauded the ANC action. A report on the News24 site notes that the party's disciplinary committee said Malema had damaged the standing of the ANC and SA's international reputation. The IFP Youth Brigade said the ruling vindicated its previous calls for action to be taken against Malema. 'We believe, however, that the decision to suspend Malema for five years is not real action and a little too late,' it said. ACDP leader Kenneth Meshoe said the ruling sent a strong message to the Youth League that ill-discipline in any form would not be tolerated. The Azanian People's Organisation youth welcomed the suspension of both Malema and Shivambu. 'We view this as the best thing to have happened to SA politics of young people because the pair have been the worst thing to have ever graced the world of youth activism,' leader Amukelani Ngobeni said. Full report on the News24 site

The National Press Club has welcomed the ruling against Shivambu. 'This ruling should be an example for other spokespersons,' chairman Yusuf Abramjee is quoted as saying in a report in The Times. 'The media has a job to do and we will not sit back and watch our colleagues being abused.' Full report in The Times