admin“We are going to have an NEC [meeting] over this weekend and we are going to inform the nation of the direction of the Youth League,” league deputy president Ronald Lamola said in Cape Town on Tuesday night, the broadcaster reported.
He said the ANCYL was not in crisis following the announcement of the expulsion of its president Julius Malema from the ANC on 24 April.
“The Youth League is not in a crisis and we are convinced that through political engagements and through processes within the ANC . . . we will be able to support the president of the Youth League, comrade Floyd, [and] comrade Sindiso Maqaga.”
Spokesperson Floyd Shivambu and secretary general Magaqa were also suspended from the ruling party for three years and one year respectively.
Malema was originally suspended for five years for sowing division in the party and for bringing it into disrepute. He was found to have done so by unfavourably comparing the leadership style of President Jacob Zuma to that of former president Thabo Mbeki, and for remarks on bringing about regime change in Botswana.
He unsuccessfully appealed, but was granted leave to present evidence in mitigation to the ANC’s national disciplinary committee. However, on 29 February it announced the sanction against him was being increased to expulsion.
He again appealed and it was this appeal that the ANC’s national disciplinary committee of appeal (NDCA) dismissed on 24 April. The NDCA also dismissed an appeal by Shivambu.
Like Malema, Shivambu was found guilty of sowing division and bringing the ANC into disrepute. He was suspended from the ANC for three years for swearing at a journalist and for issuing a statement calling for a change of government in Botswana. — Sapa.
Bongani Ndlovu