Malema turns on Derek Hanekom

Derek Hanekom was "impatient", "dismissive", "failed to control his temper and made outbursts" during the disciplinary hearing of suspended ANC Youth League president Julius Malema and his top brass.

This is the picture Malema painted of the chairman of the party's national disciplinary committee, which last week suspended him for five years after finding him guilty of sowing divisions and bringing the ruling party into disrepute.

At a press conference yesterday, Malema questioned Hanekom's impartiality and objectivity.

He also said statements made by ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe and his spokesman Jackson Mthembu before he was charged were "sufficient proof that the decision [to suspend him and his top brass] was predetermined".

Malema said Hanekom's outbursts came when his defence argued that, under the league's constitution, the NDC had no right to axe the league's leadership.

He said: "Members of the NDC did not raise anything, except the chair, who showed impatience.

"There was a point where there was an outburst from him which led to a heated serious consultation between him and senior counsel [Malema's advocate Patric Mtshaulana] - to a point where we wanted to stop the proceedings and said we can't proceed under [that] environment and we asked to go outside and speak amongst ourselves. And when we came back . he apologised.

"Very impatient, not ready to listen to anybody and when he conducted himself like that, Mtshaulana said to him: 'Your conduct confirmed what we applied for earlier, that you must recuse yourself, because it looks like you have got an uncontrollable interest and you can't hold back'," Malema said.

"The losing of tempers comes from people who are supposed to be objective and patient and give a final fairness ."