South African Opposition leader Julius Malema has been sentenced to five years in jail by a South African court for firing an assault rifle during a political rally in 2018.
Magistrate Twanet Olivier ruled that the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader had deliberately violated firearm laws by discharging the weapon in public.
The sentencing, delivered on Thursday, follows Malema’s conviction last year on five charges, including unlawful possession of a firearm and discharging a weapon in a public place.
The charges stem from an incident at a stadium in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, where Malema was filmed firing a rifle into the air during an EFF celebration.
Hundreds of supporters dressed in the EFF’s signature red gathered outside the court in a show of solidarity, underscoring the political weight of the case.
The proceedings have drawn significant national attention, given Malema’s prominence as a vocal opposition figure and leader of the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters.
Shortly after the sentence was handed down, Malema’s legal team moved to challenge the ruling, applying for leave to appeal within minutes.
The appeal process could delay the enforcement of the sentence, but if upheld, the conviction would have far-reaching consequences for his political career.
Under South African law, a confirmed sentence of this nature would disqualify Malema from serving as a member of parliament. Such an outcome would deal a significant blow to the EFF, a party that has built a strong base among young South Africans frustrated by persistent racial and economic inequalities decades after the end of apartheid in 1994.
At 45, Malema remains one of the country’s most influential and controversial political figures, known for his fiery rhetoric and strong stance on economic transformation. The case is likely to intensify political debate in South Africa as it moves through the appeals process.