Juju sidelines rivals amid scramble to lead ANCYL

WHILE Julius Malema prepares to fight for his political survival, cracks are widening in his ANC Youth League as the battle to succeed him intensifies.

Malema and five other league leaders will tomorrow file heads of argument with the ANC National Disciplinary Committee of Appeals in a bid to set aside their suspensions from the party.

However, it appears that they will no longer be fighting the suspensions, which they say were instigated by President Jacob Zuma, as a united force.

Insiders say the league's leadership has effectively been split into two, with Malema running the organisation with a few of his trusted comrades who fashion themselves as the "central committee".

The "central committee" stands accused of sidelining treasurer Pule Mabe and deputy secretary-general Kenetswe Mosenogi.

The divisions first became evident in December when Malema and other league leaders failed to attend the funeral of former league national executive committee member Vusi Mhlongo in KwaZulu-Natal.

The funeral was attended by Mabe, Mosenogi and deputy president Ronald Lamola while Malema and other league officials opted to go to that of secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa's grandmother.

Last week Mabe, Lamola and Mosenogi were conspicuous by their absence from the "mini-rallies" addressed by Malema in the run-up to the ANC's centenary celebrations in Mangaung in the Free State.

Malema was accompanied only by Magaqa, spokesman Floyd Shivambu and NEC member Thabo Kupa - all of whom are accused of being members of Malema's unofficial "central committee".

Magdalene Moonsamy, who is in Shivambu's communications team, is also said to be a "central committee" member.

A number of league NEC members told the Sunday Times that the majority of them were now distancing themselves from Malema and his "reckless" campaign to remove Zuma.

The divisions in the league could cost Malema his political career as he will need a strong and united ANC Youth League to fight his battles should he lose his appeal.

A league NEC member, who asked not to be named as speaking to the media would be a contravention of league policy, told the Sunday Times that while Malema projected a bold face during his rallies last week, he was quickly losing support among his NEC.

"There are 35 members of the NEC, the question is where were the others [during the mini-rallies]? Why was [Malema] with only those few [leaders] at the rallies?" said the NEC member.

As part of Malema's strategy to counter the revolt, insiders say, his "central committee" plans to suspend Mabe. Mabe has been identified as one of the possible candidates to succeed Malema should he be booted out of the ANC. Lamola is also said to be eyeing the position.

The charges expected to be brought against Mabe relate to the way he has handled league finances since he was elected treasurer in 2008.

"These things were always known. We don't know why they are being raised now," said another NEC member who also asked not to be named.

The Sunday Times has learnt that Malema's grouping was also plotting to dissolve the Eastern Cape league leadership, with its provincial chairman Ayanda Matiti seen as a threat.

While Malema and his backers scramble to retain control of the league, there are machinations by his detractors to mobilise support and alienate the Malema grouping.

"They may be plotting to retain power and purge other people but what they don't know is that they could end up being the ones out in the cold," said the same NEC member.

Another NEC member argued that Malema's newly found admiration for former president Thabo Mbeki was another issue that could further alienate him from league members who support Zuma.

"This position on Mbeki was never discussed with the NEC ... suddenly you hear [Malema] talking about him everywhere as though the youth league had taken a position on the issue when it's not the case ... undermining the NEC," he said.

Magaqa yesterday denied there were divisions within the league leadership and played down Mabe and Mosenogi's absence from recent Malema events.

"We know where they were. They had other programmes," he said. He also denied the existence of a "central committee" within the league.

Lawyers representing Malema, Shivambu, Magaqa and three other officials are expected to file their heads of argument tomorrow. They will argue that the league leaders were not afforded an opportunity to present evidence in mitigation of their sentences, and that some members of the disciplinary committee should have recused themselves as they had previously publicly disagreed with the league's positions on land reform and the nationalisation of mines.

They are expected to complain about committee chairman Derek Hanekom's conduct at the initial hearing.

Malema was defiant this week, telling a crowd in Moutse, Limpopo, to "reclaim" the ANC.