Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has been convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm and discharging it in public, stemming from an incident during the party’s fifth anniversary celebrations in the Eastern Cape in 2018.
Magistrate Twanet Olivier delivered the ruling on Wednesday, confirming Malema’s guilt while acquitting his former bodyguard, Adriaan Snyman. The offences carry a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, with sentencing postponed until January 2026.
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The ruling has sparked strong reactions within the EFF, who believe the timing is linked to the upcoming local government elections.
EFF Alleges Political Motives Behind Judgment
EFF Head of International Relations, Nqobile Mhlongo, expressed deep dissatisfaction with the outcome, suggesting that the conviction forms part of a larger political agenda against the red beret.
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“Suddenly, there are books published about our leader portraying him as a bad person who is undesirable and violent. The timing of this is critical because we are also going forward with local government elections,” Mhlongo said.
She argued that if the EFF were genuinely violent, the seven-year delay in the case would have sparked unrest long ago.
“This verdict appears to be a systematic targeting of Julius Malema,” she added.
Mhlongo also drew links between international politics and the ruling, citing US President Donald Trump’s past remarks about Malema. Trump previously questioned President Cyril Ramaphosa about why Malema had not been arrested for singing the “kill the boer” struggle song, while falsely accusing South Africa of committing genocide against the white minority.
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EFF Vows Support for Malema and Rejects Ruling
In an official statement, the EFF strongly rejected the judgment, framing it as part of a broader campaign against their leader.
“From the moment CIC Malema and the EFF fearlessly confronted corruption in the highest offices, demanded land expropriation without compensation, and exposed the capture of the state by both local and global capital, the system has sought to silence him by any means necessary,” the party said.
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The statement also pointed to Malema’s history of politically charged court cases, from freedom of speech disputes to the Brackenfell protest controversy.
“It is an attack on the poor, the landless, the workers, and the youth of this country who refuse to be silenced. We reaffirm our full support for our President and CIC, and call on all Fighters, ground forces, and progressive South Africans to remain committed to the cause of economic freedom in our lifetime,” the EFF declared.
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