THE ANC has dealt the defiant leadership of the ANC Youth League a fatal blow, confirming Julius Malema's expulsion and suspending his proxy Sindiso Magaqa.

Yesterday, the ANC national disciplinary committee of appeal (NDCA) ruled that Malema and Magaqa vacate their offices as president and secretary of the ANCYL respectively.

Also expected to vacate his office is spokesman Floyd Shivambu.

Both Magaqa and Shivambu have been part of the youth league faction defying the ANC's February decision to expel Malema from both the ANC and the ANCYL.

In February the NDCA upheld last year's decision to expel Malema for sowing division and disunity in the ANC.

Magaqa was found guilty of making derogatory remarks against Public Enterprise Minister Malusi Gigaba and Shivambu was found guilty of swearing at a journalist and for issuing the statement on Botswana.

All three appealed against their sentences.

Yesterday the NDCA upheld Malema's expulsion, Shivambu's three-year suspension from the ANC - with Magaqa's ANC membership suspended for one year.

In its ruling the NDCA found that " notwithstanding compliance with due process and fairness by these ANC structures, the appeallants persist with their claims and have peppered their head arguments with innuendos which show complete disregard for the ruling of the NDC and the NDCA."

These, it said, included an innuendo that President Jacob Zuma "controlled and influenced the NDCA remotely".

The NDCA also said for Malema to retain his position as president of the ANCYL, he has to be "an ANC member in good standing; (and) that a suspension or expulsion from the ANC would mean that Malema's membership of the ANC would no longer be in good standing".

Malema's only hope is to turn to the ANC national executive committee (NEC) to review his expulsion with the hope that it will recommend that the (NDC) should review its decision.

The NEC does not have power to overturn the decision. It can only make recommendations.

Malema may find it difficult to win sympathy however because Zuma has in past months consolidated his power in the NEC.

Malema has also irritated some of the leaders by his continued attack on the ANC.

On Saturday, ANCYL members in Limpopo visited Malema at his home where he said certain elements in the ANC had unleashed all state institutions against him and they would do anything to silence him.

"If they want to arrest me, I've got an address, they are welcome to come and arrest me," he said.