Cape Town, April 17: South African opposition leader Julius Malema has been sentenced to five years in prison for weapons-related offenses.
Malema, the founder of the leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), is one of South Africa’s most prominent political figures.
The sentencing took place on Thursday morning at the magistrate’s court in the Eastern Cape province’s Kugoampo City (formerly East London). Outside the court, large screens were set up for hundreds of EFF supporters who gathered to hear the verdict for their leader.
This case dates back to July 28, 2018, when Malema fired a semi-automatic rifle into the air during an EFF rally in the residential area of Madantsane in the Eastern Cape. The EFF described this act as part of a “celebration” intended to entertain the crowd during the party’s fifth anniversary. Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident.
Last October, Malema was found guilty on five charges, including illegal possession of a firearm and discharging a firearm in a public place.
On Thursday, he was also fined 20,000 rand for each of the remaining three charges, totaling 60,000 rand. If he fails to pay the fines, he faces an additional six months in prison for each charge.
The EFF has announced plans to appeal the decision. If the sentence is upheld after all appeals, Malema will be unable to serve as a Member of Parliament. He previously served as the president of the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League from 2008 to 2012.
After being expelled from the ANC in 2012, he founded the EFF in 2013 and was elected to Parliament in 2014. Following the 2024 general elections, the EFF became the fourth largest party in Parliament but opted not to join the government.
–
Leave a Comment