South Africa’s Malema sentenced to jail on gun charges

Conviction and Sentence

Julius Malema, a prominent South African opposition leader, received a five-year prison sentence on Thursday. The ruling came as part of a case tied to an incident during an Economic Freedom Fighters rally in 2018. Malema was found guilty of illegally holding a firearm and discharging it in a public setting.

Background of the Incident

The legal proceedings originated from an event at an Economic Freedom Fighters celebration held that year. Prosecutors claimed he fired the rifle into the air during the rally. In delivering the sentence in a court in KuGompo City, formerly East London, Magistrate Twanet Olivier noted that Malema had deliberately broken firearm laws by shooting the gun at the EFF event.

“It wasn’t… an impulsive act,” the magistrate said. “It was the event of the evening.”

Defenses and Public Reaction

Malema, 45, heads the Economic Freedom Fighters, South Africa’s fourth-largest parliamentary party. He denied the charges, arguing the gunfire was meant solely for celebration. Hundreds of EFF supporters, clad in red, demonstrated solidarity outside the courthouse as the sentencing unfolded.

Impact and Appeals

According to DW’s Dianne Hawker-Kalubi, the conviction bars Malema from holding a parliamentary seat. His legal team has announced plans to challenge the ruling immediately. The case remains ongoing, with further developments expected.