AfriForum welcomes Malema verdict

AfriForum welcomed the verdict of the ANC's disciplinary committee against ANC Youth League leader Julius Malema and other members of the Youth League, and expressed the hope that the ANC would stand firm should Malema appeal his suspension.

Kallie Kriel, CEO of AfriForum, said he was grateful that AfriForum and other interested parties' objections to, and lawsuits against Malema's polarising behaviour in the end contributed to the fact that the ANC had to take action against Malema. "The ANC could have prevented a lot of the damage that Malema caused to community relations by taking action against him sooner, but this is a case of better late than never," Kriel said.

If Malema's suspension is not overturned on appeal, he will no longer be a figure that must be taken seriously, Kriel said. "Malema overestimated his support and his prominence was only based on the fact that he, as a senior leader in the ruling party, made polarising statements," he added.

According to Kriel, Malema's absence as a prominent figure in South African politics will give the country's residents an ideal opportunity to work on normalising community relations. "Malema has been the biggest polarising factor in the country for the past two years and without him on the scene, it will be much easier to promote mutual recognition and respect between communities," Kriel said.

Statement issued by Kallie Kriel, CEO: AfriForum, November 10 2011

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