ANC Youth League will appeal suspension verdict - Malema

Julius Malema
ANC Youth League in South Africa

ANC Youth League will appeal suspension verdict - Malema
Funke Atohengbe, Johannesburg

The suspended President of the ANC Youth League in South Africa, Julius Malema says, the decision to suspend him and other top Executives of the League was taken before the disciplinary hearings set up by the ruling party began.

Addressing reporters at the ANC headquarters in Johannesburg on Wednesday, Malema said a decision to convict and sanction the leadership of the Youth League was taken by the ANC Secretary General, Gwede Mantashe who had made his intentions clear in all his statements relating to the League.

Malema said Mantashe had said the League “crossed a line” before the disciplinary hearings, set up by the ANC started.

 “Saying someone crossed a line is a verdict” Malema said.

He said the League totally disagreed with and rejected the outcome of the ANC disciplinary hearings and would appeal the verdict.

‘Settle political scores’

The suspended ANC Youth League leader said the verdict of the National Disciplinary Committee (NDC) was used to settle political scores and individual ambitions.

In his words, "some of the NDC members did not attend the presentation of closing arguments yet partook in the process of giving verdict and sanctions to the leadership of the ANC."

Julius Malema and five other members of his executive were suspended from the League last week by the ANC National Disciplinary Committee led by Derek Hanekom after they were found guilty of promoting divisions within the ANC and for bringing the party into disrepute.

Malema has been calling for the nationalization of mines, fair distribution of wealth between the white minority and majority black South Africans and expropriation of land without compensation.

Williams