Court jails Julius Malema for five years over 2018 rally gunfire

Opposition figure Julius Malema has been sentenced to five years in prison by a South African court for firing an assault rifle during a 2018 rally.

Delivering judgment, Magistrate Twanet Olivier said the act was premeditated and carried out with full awareness.

“It wasn’t… an impulsive act,” she said. “It was the event of the evening.”

“The decision to break the law has been made and it was made with the approval of the accused person, and the leadership.”

The sentencing drew large crowds of supporters of the Economic Freedom Fighters outside the court and in other cities, where proceedings were followed live.

Malema’s lawyers maintained the shots were fired in celebration, but the prosecution pushed for a tougher penalty of up to 15 years. His defence team has vowed to appeal.

The case, brought by AfriForum, has been described by the EFF as an attempt to silence its leader.

However, the court insisted the ruling targeted an individual, not a political organisation.

“It is not a political party who has been convicted here… it is a person, an individual,” Olivier stated.

The sentence puts Malema’s parliamentary position at risk and has sparked threats of protests from supporters.

The Democratic Alliance backed the ruling, stressing the seriousness of firearm offences.

“Gun violence is out of control in South Africa, so any crime involving illegal gunfire is extremely serious,” said party leader Geordin Hill-Lewis.

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