South African opposition politician Julius Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), has been convicted of firing a gun in public, an offence that could see him face up to 15 years in prison. The ruling, delivered by magistrate Twanet Olivier, relates to an incident captured on video during the EFF’s fifth anniversary celebrations in the Eastern Cape in 2018.
In the viral footage, Malema is seen firing between 14 and 15 live rounds from a firearm on stage before a crowd of about 20,000 supporters. The prosecution argued that the act was reckless and unlawful, laying charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, discharging in a public space, and reckless endangerment.
While Malema’s former bodyguard, Adriaan Snyman, faced the same charges, he was acquitted. Malema defended himself in court by insisting the gun was not his and claiming he fired the shots to energize the crowd. Despite this, the court found him guilty on all charges after three days of deliberation. Sentencing has been postponed until January 2026.
This marks Malema’s second conviction in less than two months. In August, South Africa’s equality court found him guilty of hate speech following remarks made after a violent incident involving an EFF member. The court ruled his comments, which included telling supporters “you must never be scared to kill,” demonstrated an intent to incite harm.
The case was initially brought forward by Afrikaner lobby group AfriForum, which has frequently clashed with Malema and the EFF. AfriForum also played a role in the hate speech case against him earlier this year.
Malema remains one of South Africa’s most controversial political figures, with his fiery rhetoric often stirring debate in a country still grappling with racial divisions 31 years after apartheid. His legal troubles could significantly impact his political career as the EFF looks ahead to future elections.
