Julius Malema has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of illegally possessing a firearm and discharging it in public.
The leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) was convicted on multiple charges linked to a 2018 incident in which he was filmed firing a semi-automatic rifle into the air during the party’s anniversary celebrations in the Eastern Cape.
Delivering the sentence in East London, Magistrate Twanet Olivier said the act was not spontaneous, but rather a central moment of the event. Malema, dressed in a dark suit and red tie, showed little reaction as the ruling was read out.
His legal team immediately filed an appeal, preventing him from being taken into custody. If upheld, the sentence could have significant political consequences, including the potential loss of his seat in parliament.
During the trial, Malema argued that the firearm did not belong to him and that he had fired the shots to energise supporters. However, the court rejected this defence, citing the risks posed to public safety.
The case was brought following a complaint by AfriForum, an Afrikaner lobby group that has had a long-running and often contentious relationship with Malema and his party.
A prominent and polarising figure in South African politics, Malema rose to prominence as leader of the youth wing of the African National Congress before being expelled. He later founded the EFF, which has become the country’s fourth-largest political party, campaigning on policies such as land redistribution and economic transformation.
Following his conviction last year, Malema told supporters that he was prepared to face imprisonment, describing it as “a badge of honour”. He has pledged to challenge the ruling in higher courts, including the Constitutional Court.
