ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema was suspended from the league and has to "vacate his position", the party's national disciplinary committee has announced

"The respondent shall vacate his position as the president of the ANC Youth League," committee chairman Derek Hanekom told a press conference in Johannesburg.

Malema was suspended for an effective five years.

"Malema damaged the standing of the ANC and South Africa's international reputation," said Hanekom.

His statements on Botswana were "reckless" and brought the African National Congress into disrepute, Hanekom said.

This was after Malema said earlier this year the ANCYL would send a team to Botswana to consolidate local opposition parties and help bring about regime change there. Malema later apologised for the remarks, but they were widely believed to have caused serious diplomatic embarrassment for the ANC.

Malema, who was "busy writing exams" in Limpopo today, has 14 days to appeal against the ruling.

He will remain on full pay until all the appeal processes are completed, African National Congress spokesman Jackson Mthembu said.

Hanekom said Malema had made himself guilty several times in the past two years of sowing divisions within the ANC. Malema was found guilty of criticising Zuma in another ANC disciplinary hearing last year. The national disciplinary committee warned at the time that should Malema be found guilty of provoking serious divisions or a break-down of unity in the organisation within the next two years, his ANC membership would be suspended.

OTHER SANCTIONS:

Earlier today, he was also found guilty of interrupting a meeting of national ruling party officials that included President Jacob Zuma.

That guilty finding related to Malema, ANCYL deputy president Ronald Lamola, treasurer general Pule Mabe, secretary general Sindiso Magaqa and deputy secretary general Kenetswe Mosenogi.

On that charge, the group was suspended from the ruling party for two years on Thursday. The sanction was suspended for three years.

Hanekom said the ANCYL’s “arrogant” spokesman Floyd Shivambu also had to vacate his position in the youth league.

He was found guilty of two charges relating to swearing at a journalist and his press statement about regime change in Botswana.

The ANC’s national disciplinary committee noted his “arrogance and defiance”.

Shivambu’s ANCYL membership was suspended for three years.

Furthermore, ANCYL secretary-general Sindiso Magaqa was found guilty of misconduct for comments he made about Public Enterprises Minister Malusi Gigaba. On this count, he was suspended for 18 months and this sanction was suspended for three years.

Magaqa was also ordered to make a public apology to Gigaba.

Magaqa had accused Gigaba of "pleasing imperialists" when he criticised the African National Congress Youth League's campaign for the nationalisation of mines in August.

Hanekom said Magaqa's comments were an "unwarranted attack" against Gigaba, which "undermined his position as a minister". Magaqa's offence was of a "serious nature". The comments could pose a risk to foreign investment.