African National Congress Expels Youth Leader

(Updated March 5, 2012) -  ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema will stay on in his position, even if he is expelled from the ANC, the league has said. League leaders from all the provinces except the Western Cape, which has also earlier indicated its support for Malema, addressed a press conference inJohannesburg, South Africa  this morning saying they will continue to fight even if his expulsion is upheld. They were reporting back from a special league national executive meeting called yesterday to discuss the expulsion.  Malema has 14 days to appeal and the league has indicated that he would do so.   (Read More at NEWS24)  

The African National Congress (ANC) expelled Julius Malema, the president of its youth wing, on Wednesday for `sowing divisions & bringing disrepute to the South African ruling party'.  Last year he was suspended from the ANC for 5 years, following statements he made at an ANCYL press conference in July vowing to send a youth league team to engineer a change of government in Botswana.  He appealed, but lost in late February. The new decision can be appealed too but if upheld, would leave Malema little choice but to start his own party. He is the 1st ANC official to aggressively criticize the government over its failures to deliver basic services to the poor & his message is popular. Even with his dismissal he remains sought after with the youth of the party; already invited to speak before the Eastern Cape Youth League by provincial bosses who say, "Malema remains the President of ANCYL".  In Cape Town last week,  President Jacob Zuma was booed by ANCYL  members while delivering a public lecture as part of the ANC’s centenary celebrations at the Good Hope Centre singing “where is Malema”.  (Read More at Cape Argus)