The African National Congress (ANC) will meet its youth league over charges against African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) president Julius Malema and spokesperson Floyd Shivambu, ANC secretary general Gwede Mantashe said on Tuesday.

"... [T]he youth league wants a meeting, we'll meet them," he said at a media briefing in Johannesburg.

"Actually, that decision was taken even before the letter came: that we must meet the YL and engage them. That is part of our political responsibility."

Mantashe was speaking after a meeting of the ANC's national executive committee which focused largely on discipline.

The four-day gathering began as disciplinary charges were brought against Malema and Shivambu over comments which were critical of the Botswana government and suggested strengthening its opposition to bring about regime change.

Mantashe said the disciplinary charges against Malema and Shivambu were not discussed at the meeting as it was not a matter for the NEC.

"Actually, we gave the ruling that disciplinary issues are not a matter for the NEC and anybody who spoke about that was reminded all the time that this is not a matter for the NEC.

"The national disciplinary committee [NDC] handles discipline. While things are with the NDC, the NEC doesn't deal with that."

Malema, as ANCYL president, is an ex-officio member of the NEC.

After news broke of the charges against him and Shivambu, the ANCYL held a special NEC meeting to discuss a course of action.

ANCYL secretary Sindiso Magaqa said in a statement afterwards that the issues in the charges were "political".

He said the ANCYL would request an "urgent meeting" with the ANC. He also reportedly said the ANCYL would bus people into the city in protest against the charges on the day of the hearings.

"We are hoping that nobody would be adventurous, such that he or she tries to disrupt that process," Mantashe said.

"That would be very adventurous, I can tell you, because it's an organisational process, but if people are adventurous, they want to disrupt, we'll confront that adventure at that point."

Asked whether discipline was applied consistently within the ANC, Mantashe said this was an issue which would always be debated.

Another issue which was also important was not to "use the veil of political disagreement to actually justify ill-discipline".

"The organisation must never allow that to happen," he said

Asked whether the process was used as a "ploy to silence people", Mantashe said this would lead to "anarchy".

"If you follow that logic... you will plunge the ANC into anarchy because you are saying to the leaders of the ANC, 'when we going to a conference, please don't enforce discipline, it must be a free-for-all during the window period to the conference. You will plunge the ANC into dysfunctionality and anarchy," he said.

He was referring to the ANC's national conference next year, during which new leadership will be elected.

Malema could be suspended from the ANC if he is found guilty on charges of sowing division and bringing the ANC into disrepute.

It has been speculated that disciplining Malema could bolster President Jacob Zuma's chances of serving a second term as ANC president.

Zuma has reportedly fallen out of Malema's favour and the youth leader has been agitating for his removal.

Mantashe declined to elaborate on the actual disciplinary process, saying he did not want to "prejudice" it.

"We are not going to answer any questions on the procedures, on the content of disciplinary cases.

"This matter was handed to the NDC, that is where the matter resides," he said.