South African opposition leader Julius Malema has been found guilty of illegally possessing a firearm, discharging it in public and reckless endangerment — offences that carry a minimum 15-year sentence under the Firearms Control Act.
The conviction stems from a 2018 incident at the Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) fifth anniversary rally in the Eastern Cape, where video footage showed Malema firing multiple live rounds from a semi-automatic rifle into the air before a crowd of about 20,000 supporters. Prosecutors alleged he fired as many as 15 shots.
Malema, who stood trial alongside his former bodyguard Adriaan Snyman — later acquitted — denied the charges, claiming the weapon was not his and that he fired only to “excite the crowd.” But after three days of hearings, Magistrate Twanet Olivier ruled: “You are found guilty as charged.”
The case has been postponed to January 2026 for pre-sentencing. Outside court, Malema told supporters that imprisonment or death would be a “badge of honour” and vowed to appeal the ruling up to the Constitutional Court if necessary.
The prosecution was initiated by AfriForum after the viral video surfaced. The Afrikaner lobby group has repeatedly clashed with Malema, including over a hate speech case in which he was convicted in August for inflammatory remarks.
Legal experts say Malema faces a strong possibility of a custodial sentence. Under South African law, any MP sentenced to more than 12 months without the option of a fine is disqualified from holding office once the appeals process is exhausted.
For now, Malema remains defiant, framing the verdict as part of a wider political struggle while continuing to rally his base.
