ANC suspends Julius Malema

The chair of the African National Congress (ANC)'s national disciplinary panel Derek Hanekom said the committee took Julius Malema's previous behaviour and conviction for wrong-doing into account in sentencing him to a five year suspension on Thursday.
The panel said he was guilty of sowing division and bringing the party into disrepute.

Malema has said in Polokwane that he will appeal the verdict.

The panel has also suspended ANC Youth League spokesperson Floyd Shivambu for three years.

Hanekom said the panel has rejected Malema's claims - that when he said he would work against the Botswana government he was speaking on behalf of the league.

"Respondent was personally liable for his utterances and the NDC rejects the defence of the respondent, that he was acting in representative capacity or on behalf of the collective," Hanekom added.

The panel has also dismissed claims that punishments the ANC imposed on party members, do not affect their status as youth league leaders.

As a result Malema's youth league career appears to be over.