Malema Sentenced to Five Years for Illegal Gun Possession and Public Firing, Allowed to Appeal

South African opposition leader Julius Malema has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of illegal firearm possession and discharging a weapon in public, in a ruling that could significantly affect his political future.

The 45-year-old leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) showed little emotion as Magistrate Twanet Olivier delivered the sentence at KuGompo City (formerly East London). However, he was not immediately taken into custody as the court granted him leave to appeal.

The case stems from a 2018 incident during the EFF’s fifth anniversary celebrations in the Eastern Cape, where a video surfaced showing Malema firing a semi-automatic rifle into the air. He later told the court the act was celebratory.

Last year, Malema was convicted on five charges, including unlawful possession of a firearm, reckless endangerment, and discharging a weapon in a public space.

In her ruling, Magistrate Olivier said the act was not impulsive but “the event of the evening,” adding that Malema’s political influence did not place him above the law.

Outside court, Malema addressed a large crowd of supporters, accusing the judiciary—without presenting evidence—of being part of a conspiracy to silence him. “They are trying by all means to silence this voice. They will never win,” he said, framing the ruling as politically motivated.

His supporters responded with chants and songs, expressing relief after confirmation that he would remain free pending appeal.

If upheld, the sentence would bar Malema from serving as a Member of Parliament for five years. However, analysts note that the appeals process could take years, allowing him to continue his political activities in the meantime.

Malema, once head of the African National Congress Youth League, was expelled from the governing party after a fallout with then-president Jacob Zuma. He later founded the EFF, now South Africa’s fourth-largest party and a key voice on land reform and economic redistribution.

His political career has long been marked by controversy, including previous convictions related to hate speech and criticism over the singing of liberation-era songs that some interpret as inciting violence—claims the EFF rejects.

The case was brought by Afrikaner lobby group AfriForum after the video of the shooting went viral. The group maintains the prosecution concerns unlawful conduct rather than politics or race.