South Africa's governing ANC has found youth leader Julius Malema guilty of bringing the party into disrepute. He has been suspended from the party for five years and sacked as Youth League leader. Once a close ally of President Jacob Zuma, Mr Malema has become one of his strongest critics, accusing him of ignoring poor South Africans who helped bring him to power in 2009. The BBC's Milton Nkosi says the verdict boosts Mr Zuma's re-election bid. Mr Malema wants Mr Zuma replaced as party leader ahead of the 2014 elections but our correspondent says it is now difficult to see how Mr Malema can affect the ANC leadership contest next year. The party celebrates its 100th anniversary in January 2012 and our correspondent says ANC officials are determined to show that this organisation will not be dictated to by a young, unruly leader. His suspension is for calling for a change of government in neighbouring Botswana - a position which contravenes party and government policy. "Ill-discipline is not a cure for frustration," said Derek Hanekom, who led the disciplinary hearing. "Such disobedience undermined the effectiveness of the ANC." There is tight security outside the ANC headquarters in central Johannesburg but no sign of the large crowds of ANC Youth League members seen when the hearing opened in August. Thousands of Mr Malema's supporters clashed with police and some were seen burning T-shirts bearing Mr Zuma's face. Mr Malema is a hugely divisive figure in South Africa after making a series of controversial statements. He has previously been found guilty of using hate speech by singing an anti-apartheid song Shoot the Boer [white farmer], which has since been banned. He once vowed to "kill for Zuma" and was also disciplined for saying a woman who said she had been raped by Mr Zuma had had "a nice time". Mr Zuma was acquitted of the charges. In May 2010, he was made to apologise publicly following a controversial trip to Zimbabwe where he declared the ANC's support for President Mugabe at a time when Mr Zuma was mediating between the country's coalition members. He is also being investigated by an anti-corruption unit over allegations of irregularities in the awarding of government contracts to companies in his home province of Limpopo. He denies any wrongdoing. Mr Malema has 14 days to appeal against the ANC sentence but was already suspended for his statements on Zimbabwe and so must vacate his position as Youth League leader immediately. Youth League spokesman Floyd Shivambu was also suspended for three years. Mr Malema was doing a university exam in political studies on Thursday in his home town of Polokwane and was not immediately available for comment.