Malema’s NDCA verdict hit a snag and delayed by more than one and half hour. Radio stations stayed idle, waiting for this verdict. It is clear that Malema’s disciplinary is of great national interest and I’m of the view that, its media and social network rating may exceed that of the upcoming state of the nation address.

After missing some of my favourite programs on Radio, I started asking myself a few questions: Is this not an ANC process? Why does it feel like a Government process? What makes South Africa so intensely immersed into this process?

The interest and analysis by the media and various analysts was much less for the police Commissioner Bheki Cele and various ministers that in my view are more of the interest of the country as they serve in our government.

Here comes the President of an ANC youth wing, not even the President of ANC, but President of the ANC youth wing. He steals the attention of all South Africans, young and old, rich and poor, laymen and intellectuals.

This 30 year old boy has never been in the council or the provincial legislature or parliament, has never served South Africa in an official capacity. So, by all means he is an ordinary South African. He owes South Africa no performance but good citizenship.

Why all the interest? When Anele Mda, the former COPE youth leader was suspended for calling Deidre Carter a White Bitch, the then COPE’s deputy secretary general, her suspension was of no intense national interest. When FF+ fired Cornelius Jansen Van Rensburg, there was no big issue about it. None of the events I quoted above were live on radio and TV. They were treated as normal stories reported by Journalists.

Could this be a sign that Julius Malema has made a lasting impression on South Africans, or is it because the ANC is a ruling party and everybody was interested in the affairs of its wing? What if Lulu Johnson was fired for poor performance, would the interest still have been the same. What about the flour boy Malusi Gigaba?

My personal view is that, South Africa must not break its back with party political internal affairs. The ANC is the only political party that can use its internal processes to entrench itself in the society. Whether is disciplinary hearing, a conference, or a celebration, ANC activities are covered extensively? This coverage entrenches ANC in the minds and souls of South Africans.

This of course weakens our multi-party democracy. DA, COPE or any other party’s activities are covered briefly and quickly. I feel like we are engaged in building a one party sate without noticing the potential consequences of our actions.

It could be argued that, Julius Malema’s case is crucial because, he is the President of ANC YL and the ANC YL has a historical reputation of been a king maker in ANC succession. Or the intensity of the ANC YL’s Nationalisation policy has made Julius Malema a serious factor within SA’s economic circles, that if ANC adopts Nationalisation as a policy, then Government has no choice but to implement. By extension then Mr Julius Malema is very important in South Africa’s life as a country.

If that is the argument, then, I have to applaud Julius Malema for a JOB well done. That, the ANC feels that, this boy is so powerful that, to stop him from influencing ANC conferences (Policy and Elective), ANC has no choice but to suspend his membership. There is no other political solution to neutralise him, but a total suspension of his membership.

This then could make more sense since if he is so powerful that he can effect leadership change in the ANC, then that leadership is likely to be the leadership of the country. If Mr Malema is so powerful that he can influence the adoption of ANC policy, then correctly he would be influencing Government policy.

Then this gives the Media credit and merit on their focus on Julius Malema, because, his power could extend to the country.

But, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa could say that, this is a pure disciplinary issue. It is an internal ANC process to discourage ill-discipline, and has nothing to do with the potential influence that Malema could have on both the policy and elective conferences.

My issue here is that, why then suspend the membership. The NDC/NDCA could easily ban Mr Malema from holding any leadership role within the ANC while he remains a member of the ANC. It’s a fact that, Malema’s charges emanate from his leadership of the ANC YL, this clearly that, Mr Malema’s issues don’t reside within his membership but his leadership.

Banning him from any leadership position in the ANC or ANC YL will subject him to the ANC leadership and encourage whatever rehabilitation he needs to progress with his banning. He would still be subject to the ANC rehabilitation processes, but with his membership suspended, he no longer has the right to participate in any ANC programs.

When I was still in Cope and serving in COPE YM, I was irritated by the leadership that felt that, it’s ok to suspend the membership of a young energetic leader in ANELE MDA, just because she did not think they must continue to lead the organization. Young people must be able to get a rehabilitation opportunity if their discipline was a genuine discipline and not fear that, they might derail the programs and ambitions of leaders.

The way that Mr Malema’s disciplinary hearing has been handled, has given the country an idea that, the incumbent ANC and Government leaders, fear him and believe that, if left to run wild he will influence the ANC conferences (Policy and Elective) thereby influencing the leadership and policy of the country.

Malema is not as powerful as the ANC thinks; Malema’s power is drawn from the poor ANC leadership. His indiscipline was an opportunity for the ANC to test its ability to lead. By throwing him out of the ANC, the ANC has confirmed Malema was too powerful for them to lead and with the same stroke ANC leadership has proven its weakness to lead the ANC, the Country and its Youth.

I can’t wait to see what the future hold for South Africa, It’s important that whatever we do, we do it with South Africa in mind. I hope that, as ANC prepares for its policy and elective conferences our country will not be forgotten and thrown into chaos as faction hold tighter to its each other’s throats.

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