A South African court has sentenced opposition leader Julius Malema to an effective five-year prison term after finding him guilty of breaching the country’s firearm laws over a 2018 incident in which he fired a rifle into the air during a political rally.
The case arose from an Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) rally where prosecutors said Malema unlawfully discharged a firearm in public. He was convicted in October on charges of illegal possession of a firearm and firing a weapon in a public space.
Delivering judgment at the KuGompo City Magistrate’s Court (formerly East London), Magistrate Twanet Olivier ruled that Malema’s actions were deliberate and not accidental, describing the shooting as a defining moment of the event rather than a spontaneous act.
“It wasn’t an impulsive act,” the magistrate said. “It was the event of the evening.”
Malema, leader of the EFF and one of South Africa’s most prominent opposition figures, has consistently denied wrongdoing, insisting the shots were fired in celebration rather than with harmful intent. He was also fined on additional counts.
The sentence includes more than 12 months of direct imprisonment without the option of a fine, a development that could affect his eligibility to remain in parliament if his appeal fails. His legal team has already indicated plans to challenge the ruling, a process that may take years.
Outside the courthouse, the judgment attracted significant political attention as hundreds of EFF supporters gathered in solidarity at the conclusion of proceedings.
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