African National Congress (ANC) Youth League leader Julius Malema is facing disciplinary action for defying the party leadership after a week of insolence in which he again publicly taunted President Jacob Zuma.

Yesterday it emerged Malema would not escape censure, despite party leaders allowing him to make provocative statements and behave defiantly until this week.

The planned disciplinary action is the strongest against a party figure since former president Thabo Mbeki was recalled from office in September 2008.

Zuma on Saturday set the tone when he flayed Malema, accusing him of "alien" behaviour. It was Zuma's strongest denouncement of Malema whose behaviour he has indulged in the past.

Malema's latest transgression was ignoring the party's request for "restraint" over the singing of a struggle-era strong with the phrase "shoot the boer" after a high court injunction preventing its singing. He also embarrassed the party and the government in Harare last weekend when, hosted by President Robert Mugabe, he was scathing of the Movement for Democratic Change.

Malema's endorsement of Zanu (PF) contradicted the government's policy and weakened SA's mediation efforts.

"This amounts to undermining the leadership of the ANC. Certainly there must be consequences for such behaviour," Zuma said.

On Thursday Malema expelled a BBC journalist from a youth league press conference, jeopardising efforts to calm a fierce debate on racism in the aftermath of the killing of far right leader Eugene TerreBlanche.