AMUKELANI CHAUKE, Sapa

As a web of tax investigations reportedly closed in on suspended ANC Youth League president Julius Malema, his biggest ally gained some ground when he was re-elected as the league’s Limpopo secretary yesterday.

Jacob Lebogo, an ally and childhood friend of Malema, was elected unopposed at the league’s provincial conference, although rivals were not present.

Lebogo was reportedly among those who last year bussed in supporters from Limpopo when Malema first appeared before the ANC national disciplinary committee; support that later erupted into violence outside party headquarters Luthuli House.

While Limpopo youth league delegates re-elected Lebogo and other executives yesterday, opposition factions held a parallel conference in Seshego, Malema’s home town, after they were not allowed into the main conference venue at the weekend.

The ANC in Limpopo has discredited the parallel conference.

But Lebogo’s re-election, which might be seen as a step towards reaffirming the political grip of Malema and his ally premier Cassel Mathale on Limpopo, will do little to ease Malema’s troubles.

Having lost an appeal against his suspension last week, Malema is waiting to hear if the ANC’s national disciplinary committee of appeals will uphold its expulsion of him from the party.

To add to his woes, Malema is reportedly the subject of a SA Revenue Service tax evasion investigation of his Ratanang Trust Fund.

City Press newspaper has reported that Malema has been served with a tax bill of more than R10-million related to millions deposited into the controversial Ratanang Trust Fund.

Yesterday, the Sunday Independent reported that businessmen and government officials who refused to cooperate with SARS investigations have been subpoenaed to appear before a secret judicial inquiry into suspected tax evasion.

The Sunday Independent also reported that Malema had financial hardships.

Last week, Malema – who once showed off a R250000 watch and demolished a multimillion-rand Sandton house apparently to build a mansion – reportedly failed to pay a gardener.

• The ANC Youth League says Malema is not available to serve as vice-president of the International Union of Socialist Youth, despite nominations from several countries. The league said yesterday it wanted to focus its energy on “domestic challenges”.