Prominent opposition politician Julius Malema has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of firing a rifle in the air during a political rally.
The ruling was delivered on Thursday by Magistrate Twanet Olivier, who said the act was deliberate and not accidental, describing it as “the event of the evening.” The incident dates back to 2018, when Malema discharged the weapon at a stadium event in Eastern Cape province.
Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), had denied wrongdoing, maintaining that the firearm was a toy and that the act was purely celebratory. However, the court convicted him on multiple charges, including unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, as well as discharging a weapon in a public space.
Although the court issued additional fines for related offences, it ruled that the sentences would run concurrently, effectively setting his prison term at five years. His legal team swiftly filed an appeal, which has already been granted, delaying immediate imprisonment.
Outside the courthouse, hundreds of EFF supporters gathered in solidarity, warning of possible protests if the sentence is enforced. The party has condemned the ruling, calling it politically motivated and an attempt to silence one of the country’s most outspoken opposition voices.
However, the magistrate emphasized that the judgment was strictly legal, stating that the case was against an individual not a political party.
If the sentence is upheld after appeals, Malema could lose his position in parliament, dealing a significant blow to the EFF, which has built strong support among young South Africans frustrated by ongoing inequality decades after the end of apartheid.
