Malema made it known that he had no “feelings” for President Jacob Zuma.
“I do not have feelings for him. I do not have to have feelings for him. Our relationship remains political.
“When the time is right, we will decide whether there is a need for President Zuma to continue or not.”
Malema is determined to fight to the bitter end to reverse his suspension, which he claimed was politically motivated. “I am the president of the ANC Youth League. The league should be allowed to decide. I was never elected by the national disciplinary committee.
“They cannot make a determination (suspension) without ANCYL members’ input. We remain in our positions and this is not defiance,” he said.
He called the NDC a farce meant to settle political scores and suppress different views. ‘The NDC was used to settle political scores and suppress dissent. The entire process was politically motivated and meant to resolve political struggles and battles within the ANC,” he said.
Malema accused the ANC of being inconsistent: “If there was consistency of discipline in the ANC, those who attend and address meetings of the ANC under the influence of alcohol, and some of those who got arrested for drinking and driving should have been subjected to a disciplinary process.”
He said the NDC went against the party’s constitution which states that discipline in the ANC shall not be used as a means of stifling debate, or be instituted as a means of solving problems.
Malema vowed not to resign from his position and challenged the Hawks and Public Protector to probe him for alleged corruption related to the awarding of tenders in Limpopo. “I am waiting for the Public Protector, I want her to show me how I influenced the awarding of tenders.”
Malema encouraged ANCYL members to hold debates on who should lead them in the event that his appeal was rejected.
“There were always evident signs that a decision to suspend the leadership of the ANCYL has long been taken by the national disciplinary committee.”
He cited ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe’s utterances that the league had crossed the line before the hearing had started.
“It is evident from the utterances of the secretary-general that the decision to convict and sanction the leadership of the ANC Youth League was taken by the secretary-general of the ANC, who in all his statements, made such intentions clear,” he said.
Malema also attacked ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu for telling the SABC in an interview that the party cannot harbour leaders of the ANCYL. Malema said the league wanted NDC members Derek Hanekom, Susan Shabangu and Collins Chabane to recuse themselves because “they hold private and public views that stand opposed to the political agenda of the ANCYL”.
He singled out NDC chairman Hanekom, who he said was “impatient and biased” during the hearings.
“Hanekom’s impatience was displayed by how he failed to control his temper and made outbursts during proceedings. At some stage he apologised for his conduct, and the legal representative of the ANCYL placed it on record that his temper and outbursts confirmed the initial call that he should recuse himself.”
Malema criticised the NDC and questioned its legitimacy for not affording the accused an opportunity to argue in mitigation.
He said the ANC relied on an outdated constitution of the ANCYL instead of the amended version. The old version gives the ANC powers to dismiss any member of the league without an input from the ANCYL.
Malema said the version, which was adopted during the 24th national congress, allows members of the ANCYL to make an input into a decision taken by the ANC to expel its members.
He said although all members of the ANCYL would appeal the verdict, he found it strange that league spokesman, Floyd Shivambu, was suspended despite not being an elected representative.
“Floyd Shivambu remains in the employ of the ANC Youth League as head of communications until the NEC of the ANCYL decides to retrench him,” he said.
League secretary Sindiso Magaqa said he still had 14 days to appeal before he could publicly apologise to Minister of Enterprise Malusi Gigaba.
