Mbalula admits expelling Malema from ANC Youth League was a disaster

ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has acknowledged that expelling former Youth League leader Julius Malema from the party was a disastrous decision.

Mbalula said this as the ANCYL hosted its 80th birthday celebration with former leaders in Johannesburg on Tuesday, 11 September.

ANC REGRETS SUSPENDING YOUTH LEAGUE PRESIDENT JULIUS MALEMA

Malema rose to infamy as president of the ANC Youth League and at one stage boasted that he would die for the party and for then-president of the ANC, Jacob Zuma.

Malema was elected ANCYL president in 2008 and he was expelled for five years in 2012 for fomenting divisions and bringing the party into disrepute. Malema appealed the decision, however, the party’s national disciplinary committee (NDC) upheld its decision.

The vibrant politician then co-founded the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) in July 2013 with long-time friend Floyd Shivambu who has since dumped the Red Berets and joined Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party. The ANC also expelled Zuma in July.

The EFF is the fourth-largest political party in South Africa and describes itself as a radical and militant movement for economic emancipation, calling for ‘economic freedom in our lifetime’.

During his address on Tuesday night, Mbalula said some within the ANC subjected Malema to a disciplinary hearing for the wrong reasons and they had warned against that.

He said Malema had began spilling the beans about how some within the former ruling party secured positions.

“They did get rid of him and that was a disaster,” he said.

Over the years, many political analysts have emphasised that Malema’s suspension from the ANC Youth League negatively impacted the party at the polls as it’s electoral showing continues to drop.

In the 2024 elections, the ANC which has always polled above 50% since the dawn of democracy in 1994 dropped to 40%.