20100420
sabc

The ANC says its Youth League president, Julius Malema, has neither defied nor disobeyed President Jacob Zuma. This relates to his singing of certain freedom songs, Malema's criticism of Zuma, his public backing of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe, and expulsion of a BBC journalist from a meeting.

The party's officials briefed the media in Johannesburg today following a meeting between the ANC and league members. The meeting came amid reports that Malema had been formally charged with ill-discipline.

The ANC Youth League says the ruling party will not discipline Malema despite defying Zuma's warning to stop inflammatory comments. The league says this follows a long meeting of the top six officials of the ANC including President Jacob Zuma last night. According to the league, it was agreed that the league rather than the ruling party should deal with Malema.

ANC deputy secretary general, Thandi Modise, says the ANC will consider the charges against Malema at its own leisure. The party says that it will not allow the media to pressurise it to make the findings of the investigation public.