By Gabriel Manyati
InEconomic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has been sentenced to seven years in prison by Magistrate Twanet Olivier in the KuGompo City Regional Court (East London) Thursday.
The ruling stems from a high-profile 2018 incident at the EFF’s fifth anniversary rally in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape. Video footage captured Malema firing multiple live rounds from a semi-automatic rifle into the air on stage in front of thousands of supporters at Sisa Dukashe Stadium.
He was convicted on charges including unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, discharging a weapon in a public area, and reckless endangerment.
The sentence breaks down as five years on the primary count and two years on a secondary one, with the terms running concurrently, effectively amounting to five years of incarceration. Additional fines of R20 000 (or six months each) were imposed on the remaining counts.
This case, which has dragged on for nearly eight years, highlights ongoing legal scrutiny of South Africa’s fiery opposition figure, whose party has positioned itself as a radical voice for economic transformation.
Malema’s legal team may pursue an appeal.
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