JOHANNESBURG — South African opposition politician Julius Malema has been sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted of violating firearms laws during a political rally in 2018.
The leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), a leftist party and member of Parliament, was found guilty in October on five charges, including unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, discharging a weapon in a built-up area, and reckless endangerment. The charges stemmed from a video that circulated widely showing Malema firing a rifle at an EFF gathering.
On Thursday, Magistrate Twanet Olivier handed down the sentence, citing the seriousness of the offense. Malema was released on bail pending an appeal, which will be heard at a later date. If the conviction and sentence are upheld, he will be barred from holding parliamentary office under South African law, which disqualifies anyone sentenced to more than 12 months in prison without the option of a fine.
Malema’s bodyguard, Anton Snyman, who was charged alongside him, was acquitted.
The sentencing drew hundreds of EFF supporters, many arriving from across the country, who gathered outside the court chanting and singing in the party’s signature red attire. Malema has maintained that the charges are politically motivated, pointing to AfriForum, a lobby group representing the Afrikaner minority, which brought the case. The magistrate, however, stated that the verdict was based solely on his actions on the day in question.
Malema remains a polarizing figure in South African politics. His party, the fourth-largest in Parliament, advocates for the nationalization of mines and banks and the expropriation of white-owned land without compensation. His rhetoric and policies have drawn both staunch support and sharp criticism.
The case is likely to have significant political implications as Malema and the EFF prepare for the next phase of legal proceedings.
