Malema to hear his fate today
2012-02-04 09:42
ANC Youth League president Julius Malema will hear his fate today.
The ANC’s national disciplinary committee of appeal is expected to make the announcement at a media briefing at Luthuli House in Johannesburg at 11.30am.
Malema has appealed against his five-year suspension from the ANC imposed after a disciplinary hearing last year found him guilty of sowing division within the ANC and of bringing the party into disrepute.
This was partly as a result of comments made on bringing about regime change in Botswana.
Appeals were also made against the suspensions of youth league spokesperson Floyd Shivambu, deputy president Ronald Lamola, treasurer-general Pule Mabe, secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa and deputy secretary-general Kenetswe Mosenogi.
Their defence team presented oral arguments to the national disciplinary committee of appeal in January in an attempt to convince chairman Cyril Ramaphosa that they had not been given a chance to argue in mitigation of their sentences.
They contended that disciplinary committee members, including chairman Derek Hanekom and Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu, should have recused themselves.
They also argued the verdict and sanctions relied on an outdated section of the ANC Youth League constitution.
At the time, Advocate Patrick Mtshaulana said that if they lost, they could refer the matter to the ANC’s national executive committee, seek to have the elective conference in Mangaung review the suspensions, or head to the courts.
- SAPA