South African opposition politician Julius Malema has been sentenced to five years in prison for firearm-related offences. Malema, the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), received the sentence at the Magistrate’s Court in KuGompo City, Eastern Cape province. The charges date back to July 28, 2018, when Malema fired a semi-automatic rifle during an EFF rally in Mdantsane.
Malema was convicted last year on charges including unlawful firearm possession and discharging a firearm in public. He was also fined 20,000 rand for each of three charges or faced six months’ imprisonment per count. The EFF plans to appeal the court’s decision, which could prevent Malema from holding office if upheld.
Malema, a former president of the ANC Youth League, founded the EFF in 2013 after being expelled from the ANC. The EFF, the fourth-largest party in parliament after the 2024 elections, opted not to join the Government of National Unity.
