The South African leftwing politician Julius Malema has been sentenced to five years in prison for firing a rifle into the air at a political rally in 2018. Lawyers for the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), the country’s fourth-largest party, immediately lodged an appeal; Malema will remain free while the appeal proceeds.
Malema was convicted last year on five charges, including unlawful possession of a firearm and discharging a weapon in a public place, following an incident at the EFF’s fifth anniversary celebrations in KuGompo City (then known as East London). Magistrate Twanet Olivier said the act “wasn’t … an impulsive act … It wasn’t anger. It was the event of the evening,” and stressed the seriousness of random gunfire, noting its potential to kill or injure innocent bystanders. Olivier added that public office bearers face heavier accountability than ordinary citizens.
Malema’s defence maintained the shots were celebratory and that no one was harmed. Olivier granted him leave to appeal the sentence but denied leave to appeal the conviction; his lawyers said they would seek permission from a higher court to challenge the conviction as well.
A prison term longer than 12 months would bar Malema from serving in parliament, although that disqualification would only take effect once all appeals are exhausted.
After the sentencing hearing, Malema spoke to dozens of red-shirted EFF supporters outside the magistrate’s court, attacking the magistrate and accusing her of racism and of ignoring written arguments. He said, “We are fighting the enemy and the enemy is white supremacy.”
State prosecutors had sought a 15-year sentence, arguing that Malema’s position as a political leader with a large following made his conduct particularly harmful because young supporters might emulate it. The case was brought by AfriForum, a conservative lobby group representing Afrikaner interests, which has also pursued other legal actions against Malema, including over his chanting of “Kill The Boer.” In 2025 the constitutional court ruled that the chant, rooted in an anti-apartheid song, did not constitute hate speech or a literal call to kill.
Malema, 45, the son of a domestic worker, founded the EFF in 2013 after being expelled from the ANC for “sowing division.” The EFF is known for disruptive parliamentary tactics and espouses anti-imperialist, Marxist-inspired policies such as land expropriation and nationalisation. While the party has drawn support from young people frustrated by persistent unemployment and inequality since the end of apartheid, its support declined slightly in the 2024 national election, securing 9.5% of the vote, down from 10.8% in 2019.
Reuters contributed to this report.