A court in South Africa has sentenced opposition leader Julius Malema to five years in prison for discharging an assault rifle during a political rally eight years ago.
The ruling was delivered in the city of KuGompo, formerly known as East London, where large crowds of supporters dressed in red gathered outside the courthouse. The supporters are members of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), the party led by Malema.
Presiding magistrate Twanet Olivier stated that Malema had intentionally violated firearm regulations when he fired shots into the air during an EFF celebration in 2018. According to the court, the act was premeditated rather than spontaneous.
“It wasn’t an impulsive act,” Olivier said during sentencing, describing the gunfire as a central moment of the event. She further noted that the decision to break the law had been made with the approval of both Malema and the party’s leadership.
Malema’s legal team argued that the gunshots were fired purely in celebration and were not intended to cause harm.
The case has drawn significant political attention, highlighting tensions surrounding leadership conduct and firearm use in South Africa.
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