JOHANNESBURG (AP) ? A South African youth leader who has stirred furious debate over race relations and economic policy will get a chance to argue against a possibly career-ending suspension from the country's governing party, party officials said Saturday.
The disciplinary committee of the African National Congress had handed Julius Malema a five-year suspension in November, saying that the 30-year-old had sown intolerance and disunity within the African National Congress.
An ANC appeals body said Saturday that the violations had been proven, but that Malema should get another hearing on his punishment to make absolutely sure the highly watched process was seen as fair.
While Saturday's decision gives Malema political breathing room, it was clear key party leaders have concluded he is fatally divisive.
The appeals body also set a tough challenge for Malema, putting his sentencing hearings back in the hands of the same committee that originally decided he was guilty and punished him.
The ANC's Youth League has portrayed itself as the voice of South Africa's poor, young majority and the early stages of Malema's disciplinary hearings had seen protests by his supporters. But few protesters were outside party headquarters where Saturday's decision was read. An appearance that had been expected later Saturday with Malema and key supporter Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was canceled.
Malema's youth wing is known for getting voters to the polls and using its weight to choose party leaders. Malema is credited with helping President Jacob Zuma come to power in 2009, though the ANC later punished Malema for questioning Zuma's leadership.
The ANC, which marks its 100th anniversary this year, has won every national election in South Africa, and most provincial and local votes since apartheid ended in 1994.
Critics say Malema has drawn too much negative publicity to the party through his racially divisive remarks.
In September, Malema lost a suit brought by a white rights group that had accused him of hate speech for repeatedly singing a song some whites find offensive.
Malema and others say "Shoot the Boer" is a call to resist oppression. "Boer" means farmer in Afrikaans, and is sometimes used to refer to whites. Malema and his supporters have continued to sing the song despite a court order banning it.
He also has repeatedly defied more senior party leaders by arguing the country's mines should be nationalized, and land forcibly seized from whites and given to blacks.
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