Soon after Cyril Ramaphosa, the head of the party’s appeals committee, read out the decision to uphold the ruling of the national disciplinary committee, people in Seshego, Limpopo, celebrated.
They had done the same when he was initially found guilty.
But this time they became even more dramatic. In one case they burnt a shirt bearing his image.
They seemed to be communicating a message that Malema no longer represented their ideals.
No doubt others who will celebrate Malema’s downfall are the business people who have lost out in tenders because they did not belong to Malema’s powerful group, who allegedly fixed tenders using their political power.
Whether or not Malema himself was personally involved in such tenders is another matter.
What is clear, though, is that he used his political influence quite profitably.
The extent of the deployment of his political power has yet to be determined by Public Protector Thuli Madonsela, who is investigating allegations of the irregular awarding of tenders in Limpopo.
Malema’s downfall is the latest dark shadow hanging over Limpopo.
The national government has taken over the running of the province’s key departments following widespread profligacy and irregularities.
Malema had put himself on the side of those who support Cassel Mathale, who has been publicly questioning the motives of the national government’s intervention effort.
As if this was not enough, it seems the ANC in the province has been experiencing a cash-flow crisis, delaying the payment of employees in the provincial headquarters.
To add insult to injury, Malema has also lost his campaign to have mines nationalised.
The task team appointed by the ANC to conduct research on the matter has since rejected the idea, saying it would be too costly.
Malema was made by Jacob Zuma, the ANC president, to believe that he is powerful.
He took it too literally, forgetting he was powerful up to a point. He was used to fast-track the establishment of the post-Polokwane regime.
He has done his bit. He has been declared dispensable.
