Magistrate Twanet Olivier sentenced Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema to five years direct imprisonment on Thursday. The KuGompo City Magistrate Court in the Eastern Cape delivered the ruling in the firearm discharge case.
Olivier imposed the effective five-year term on the main count of unlawful possession of a firearm. She ordered the remaining sentences to run concurrently.
Julius Malema fired a rifle into the air during the party’s fifth anniversary event. The incident occurred on July 28 2018 at Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane. Prosecutors proved he possessed the firearm and ammunition unlawfully. They also showed he discharged the weapon in a built-up area and acted with reckless endangerment.
The state had pushed for a 15-year prison term. However, Olivier chose a shorter custodial sentence after hearing mitigation arguments. The conviction stemmed from a 2025 trial where the court found Julius Malema guilty on all five charges. His former bodyguard Adriaan Snyman faced the same accusations but received a full acquittal.
Economic Freedom Fighters secretary general Marshall Dlamini described the prosecution as a direct attack on the party. He spoke to reporters outside the court. Julius Malema told supporters he would appeal the sentence to the highest court. He added that he remained committed to the struggle for economic freedom.
The sentencing carries further consequences for the opposition politician. It may disqualify Julius Malema from his seat in the National Assembly. Supporters gathered in large numbers at the court. They chanted slogans as proceedings ended. The case highlighted ongoing tensions between South African politics and the justice system.
