Julius Malema has been sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of firearm-related offences, but will not be immediately incarcerated after being granted leave to appeal.
The leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters was sentenced by Magistrate Twanet Olivier in a court in East London, following his conviction last year on multiple charges.
These included unlawful possession of a firearm, discharging a weapon in public and reckless endangerment.
The charges stem from a 2018 incident during the EFF’s anniversary celebrations in Mdantsane, where Malema was filmed firing a semi-automatic rifle into the air.
During sentencing, the magistrate ruled that the act was not impulsive, but a deliberate part of the event, adding that Malema’s political position did not exempt him from accountability.
Despite the custodial sentence, the court allowed Malema to appeal both the conviction and the sentence, meaning he remains free while the legal process continues.
Outside the court, hundreds of supporters gathered in solidarity, singing and chanting as they awaited the outcome.
Malema, a prominent and often controversial figure in South African politics, has maintained his innocence, previously telling the court the firearm did not belong to him and that his actions were intended to energise the crowd.
He has indicated his intention to challenge the ruling in higher courts, including the Constitutional Court of South Africa if necessary.
The case was initiated by AfriForum after video footage of the incident circulated widely.
The outcome is expected to have significant political implications, as Malema remains a key figure in the country’s opposition landscape.
