South African opposition leader Julius Malema has been sentenced to prison after being found guilty of firing a rifle into the air during a political rally.
The leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) received a five-year prison sentence from Magistrate Twanet Olivier. The ruling follows a 2018 incident at a stadium in the Eastern Cape, where Malema was accused of unlawfully possessing a firearm and discharging it in a public place.
Malema, who is 45 and leads one of South Africa’s most prominent opposition parties, denied the charges. His defence argued that the weapon was a toy and that the shots were meant to be celebratory, not harmful.
However, the court rejected this explanation. The magistrate stated that the act was deliberate and a key moment of the event, rather than a spontaneous action.
In addition to the five-year sentence for firearm possession, Malema was also given a two-year sentence for possessing ammunition. He received fines for several other offences, including firing a weapon in a built-up area. All sentences will run concurrently.
Shortly after the judgment, Malema’s legal team applied to appeal the ruling, and permission to appeal was granted.
Outside the court, hundreds of EFF supporters gathered, showing strong backing for their leader. The party has argued that the case is politically motivated and aimed at silencing Malema, who is known for his outspoken and fiery rhetoric.
Despite these claims, the magistrate emphasized that the conviction was against Malema as an individual, not against his political party.
If the sentence is upheld after the appeals process, Malema could be disqualified from serving in parliament. This would be a significant setback for the EFF, which has built a strong base among young South Africans frustrated by ongoing inequality since the end of apartheid in 1994.
