SA ruling party ANC rejects reports of division

South Africa - The ANC has bemoaned what it described as attempts to divide party leaders with regard to last week's suspension of ANC Youth League leaders.

"We view this as a malicious and divisive way of projecting the ANC's national leadership," African National Congress spokesperson Jackson Mthembu said in a statement on Monday.

"We again want to remind sections of the media that have made such statements that the ANC is led by President [Jacob] Zuma."

Last week, ANCYL president Julius Malema was suspended for five years and removed as president of the league after being found guilty of provoking divisions in the ANC and bringing the organisation into disrepute.

Malema said he would appeal his five-year suspension.

During Malema's hearing, Human Settlements Minister Tokyo Sexwale and ANC veteran Winnie Madikizela-Mandela testified in his defence.

According to reports on Sunday, the ANC's national disciplinary committee had slammed the testimony given by Sexwale.

The full ruling reportedly obtained by City Press, criticised Sexwale for "unsubstantiated statements" and relying on "hearsay" for much of his evidence.

According to the ruling, he also showed a lack of knowledge of the ANC constitution, the newspaper reported.

Mthembu said on Monday: "The ANC rejects what has been written about comrade Tokyo Sexwale, in one of the weekend newspapers.

"As far as we are concerned there is only one report in our possession and it does not contain what has been reported about comrade Tokyo."

Mthembu said Sexwale remained a respected ANC leader and no amount of "media vilification" would change that.

The outcome of the disciplinary hearings was respected and accepted by the ANC leadership, said Mthembu.