ANC still awaiting youth league appeal
2011-11-24 19:06
Johannesburg - The ANC Youth League's leadership had still not submitted an appeals application to the national appeal committee by early on Thursday evening, the ANC said.
African National Congress spokesperson Keith Khoza said around 18:00 that the committee was still waiting, but that the ANCYL had until midnight to lodge the appeal.
The start of the appeal process would then depend on the availability of the ANC members sitting on the national disciplinary committee of appeals.
Khoza said the appeal would probably begin sometime next week, as the ANC was holding its last national executive committee (NEC) meeting for the year in Bloemfontein.
ANCYL president Julius Malema, who was in Bloemfontein on Thursday to address the memorial lecture of Tebogo Sikisi, would attend the NEC meeting only on Friday if he lodged his appeal by the end of the day.
The ANCYL could not be immediately reached for comment.
Earlier, spokesperson Magdalene Moonsamy said the ANCYL leaders would submit their appeal on Thursday but she would not say when.
Malema, ANCYL spokesperson Floyd Shivambu, deputy president Ronald Lamola, treasurer general Pule Mabe, secretary general Sindiso Magaqa and deputy secretary general Kenetswe Mosenogi were found guilty and sanctioned by the ANC's national disciplinary committee (NDC) two weeks ago.
Malema was given a five-year suspension and was told to vacate his position as president, and Shivambu was suspended for three years and was also told 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 ANCYL was independent of the ANC and that the NDC had relied on the league's "old" constitution when it handed down its sentences.
- SAPA