South African opposition leader Julius Malema has been sentenced to five years in prison by a court in South Africa over the unlawful discharge of a firearm during a political rally.
The ruling relates to a 2018 incident in which Malema fired a semi-automatic rifle into the air during celebrations marking the fifth anniversary of the Economic Freedom Fighters in Eastern Cape.
Delivering judgment in East London, Magistrate Twanet Olivier said Malema’s actions were deliberate and not impulsive, rejecting arguments that the shooting was spontaneous.
“It wasn’t an impulsive act. It was the event of the evening,” she said.
Malema had earlier been found guilty on multiple charges, including unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, discharging a weapon in a public space, and reckless endangerment. He had argued in his defence that the firearm did not belong to him and that he fired it to energise supporters.
Following the ruling, his legal team filed an immediate appeal, which temporarily prevents him from serving the sentence while proceedings continue.
The case has also raised political implications, including the possibility of disqualification from holding public office if the conviction stands.
Hundreds of supporters wearing EFF’s signature red attire gathered outside the court in East London during sentencing, underscoring the politically charged atmosphere surrounding the case.
After the conviction, Malema addressed supporters defiantly, saying: “Going to prison or death is a badge of honour. We cannot be scared of prison [or] to die for the revolution.”
Malema, a former youth leader of the ruling African National Congress, founded the EFF after his expulsion and has since become a prominent figure in South African politics, known for his radical stance on land reform and economic redistribution.
The case was initially brought forward by the Afrikaner lobby group AfriForum after video footage of the incident circulated online.