Julius Malema’s political timeline

Johannesburg - African National Congress Youth League leader Julius Malema joined the ANC at age nine in 1990 and moved through the ranks of the Congress of South Africa Students, where he served as national president.

He was elected ANCYL president in April 2008 at a chaotic conference in Bloemfontein.

Three months later, he cemented his place at the top by vowing to “eliminate any force” which blocked then-ANC president Jacob Zuma's path to the presidency. He said he was ready “to take up arms and kill for Zuma”.

In March 2010, Malema was convicted of hate speech by the Equality Court for telling students that a woman who accused Zuma of rape “had a nice time”.

In April 2010, Malema went to Zimbabwe in what was described as a visit on “indigenisation”, where he praised that country's president Robert Mugabe for the violent seizure of land from white farmers.

At the time, Zuma was trying to broker a political settlement in Zimbabwe. The African National Congress distanced itself from that statement.

Malema made headlines later that month when he lashed out at BBC journalist Jonah Fisher, calling him a “bloody agent” during a media briefing covering his visit to Zimbabwe. Zuma publicly criticised Malema's behaviour, saying it was “alien to the ANC”.

Malema was then charged with bringing the ANC and the government into disrepute over his Zimbabwe comments, his treatment of Fisher and his unfavourable comparison of Zuma to former president Thabo Mbeki.

In May 2010, Malema entered into a plea bargain over the charges.

He was fined R10 000, made to apologise in public and attend anger management classes, which never happened.

The ANC's national disciplinary committee at the time said should Malema be found guilty of provoking serious divisions or a break-down of unity in the organisation within the next two years, his ANC membership would be suspended.

In June 2011, Malema was re-elected unopposed for a second term as ANCYL president.

A month later, Malema called for regime change in neighbouring Botswana and claimed the country’s president Ian Khama was a “puppet” of the United States.

In August, the ANC confirmed charges against Malema for “sowing divisions” in the party and bringing it “into disrepute”.

He was charged alongside ANCYL spokesperson Floyd Shivambu, deputy leader Ronald Lamola, treasurer general Pule Mabe, secretary general Sindiso Magaqa, and deputy secretary general Kenetswe Mosenogi.

Malema's first appearance before the ANC disciplinary committee at ANC headquarters Luthuli House in Johannesburg, at the end of August 2011, was marred by violence in the streets outside.

Meanwhile, in an unrelated matter, Malema was found guilty of hate speech. This was after lobby group AfriForum took him to court for singing the song “Shoot the Boer”.

In November, the ANC disciplinary committee, chaired by Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Derek Hanekom, announced a guilty verdict against Malema and his executive for their Botswana comments, among other charges.

Malema was suspended from the ANCYL for five years and was ordered to vacate his position as its president.

The ANCYL rejected the outcome of the disciplinary hearings as biased and appealed the conviction with the ANC's national disciplinary committee of appeals (NDCA).

In February, the NDCA dismissed a charge of misconduct, but upheld the other verdicts and sentences. Malema was granted leave to present evidence in mitigation.

During his disciplinary hearing, Malema led a two-day ANCYL “economic freedom” march from Johannesburg to Pretoria.

Marchers, calling for the nationalisation of mines and land redistribution without compensation, handed over memoranda to the Chamber of Mines in the Johannesburg CBD, the Johannesburg Stock Exchange in Sandton, and to the government at the Union Buildings.

Malema, recently referred to by his supporters as a “chief commander of economic freedom”, has unnerved investors with his drive to nationalise mines - a call which Zuma has repeatedly said was not government policy. - Sapa