In a landmark ruling that sends major ripples through South Africa’s political landscape, prominent opposition figure and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has been sentenced to five years behind bars following a guilty verdict on charges of illegal firearm possession and unlawful weapon discharge in a public area.
Malema, who also serves as a sitting member of South Africa’s parliament, showed no visible reaction as the magistrate delivered the sentence in court, where he appeared dressed in a dark formal suit paired with his party’s signature red tie. His legal team has already confirmed they will immediately launch an appeal against the conviction and sentence in a bid to block his immediate incarceration.
The charges against Malema stem from a 2018 incident captured on video during the EFF’s fifth-anniversary rally held in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province. The footage clearly showed Malema firing multiple shots into the air with a semi-automatic rifle. Last year, he was formally convicted on five total criminal charges related to the episode, including unlawful possession of both a firearm and ammunition, intentional discharge of a weapon in a public space, and reckless endangerment of bystanders.
Under South African electoral law, any sentence exceeding 12 months in length automatically disqualifies a person from holding a seat in parliament. However, this disqualification will not take effect until all legal appeal processes have been fully exhausted, leaving Malema’s parliamentary status in limbo for the coming months. This is a developing breaking news story, with additional details expected to emerge as the appeal process moves forward.