ANC, ANCYL mum on Malema appeal

Neither the ruling party nor the ANC Youth League would confirm last night whether five youth leaders had met the midnight deadline to appeal against their suspensions.

"We're not speaking to the media about the process," said league spokesman Floyd Shivambu.

Earlier in the evening, youth league president Julius Malema delivered a lecture in Bloemfontein, in which he criticised ruling party leaders but did not say whether his appeal had been lodged.

Malema told the Free State audience: "We're going to be suspended. We do not care. We're not about to be sell-outs. We're ready for anything."

By 8.40pm, ANC spokesman Keith Khoza could not confirm unsourced media reports that the appeal had been lodged.

Malema, Shivambu, deputy president Ronald Lamola, treasurer-general Pule Mabe, secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa and deputy secretary-general Kenetswe Mose-nogi were found guilty and sanctioned by the ANC's disciplinary committee two weeks ago.

Malema was handed a five-year suspension and told to vacate his position. Shivambu was suspended for three years and also ordered to vacate his post.

The ANC membership of the other four leaders was suspended for two years, with the sanction itself suspended for three years.

They were expected to argue that the youth league was independent of the ANC and that the ANC's national disciplinary committee had relied on the league's "old" constitution when it handed down its sentences.