A South African magistrate sentenced Julius Malema, the fiery leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), to an effective five years in prison yesterday for firearm offenses committed during a 2018 political rally.

Magistrate Twanet Olivier delivered the ruling at the Regional Court in KuGompo City, Eastern Cape, on Thursday, April 16. Malema, 45, was convicted last October on five counts, including unlawful possession of a firearm for which he received five years' imprisonment, unlawful possession of ammunition carrying two years, and fines for the remaining charges, such as discharging a firearm in a built-up area. The prison terms will run concurrently.

The case stemmed from a video that surfaced in 2018 showing Malema firing a semi-automatic rifle into the air during the EFF's fifth anniversary celebrations at a stadium in the Eastern Cape. Prosecutors, backed by AfriForum, an Afrikaner rights group, argued the act was deliberate and endangered public safety. Malema's defense claimed it was a celebratory gesture with no intent to harm.

Olivier rejected mitigation arguments, stating the offense posed a serious threat to South Africa's democracy and highlighted the dangers of random gunfire in populated areas. "It is clear that if crimes are allowed to go unchecked and unpunished, it poses a serious threat to our democratic state," she said.

The court granted Malema leave to appeal the sentence, allowing him to remain free pending the process, which could extend to the Constitutional Court and take years. He was released on warning without paying bail and faces no immediate incarceration.

Outside the court, hundreds of EFF supporters in red berets chanted and sang revolutionary songs. Malema, showing little emotion during the reading of the sentence, later accused Olivier of bias, calling her emotional and politically motivated. "We were tried by a magistrate who doesn’t read, who uses emotions, who speaks politics," he told reporters. He vowed to fight the ruling to the highest court, framing it as an attack by "white supremacy."

The EFF, South Africa's fourth-largest party after the 2024 elections, has gained traction among young voters disillusioned with inequality, pushing radical policies like land expropriation from white farmers and mine nationalization. Malema, a former ANC youth leader expelled in 2012, remains a Member of Parliament. If the sentence holds after appeals, a term exceeding 12 months would disqualify him from public office for five years post-release.

Reactions split along political lines. ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula expressed sympathy, decrying AfriForum's role as targeting black advocates. AfriForum insisted the case centered on reckless illegality, not race. Legal experts noted the appeals process shields Malema's career for now.

The sentencing drew international attention, linked to U.S. President Donald Trump's prior criticisms of Malema during a 2025 meeting with President Cyril Ramaphosa, where Trump highlighted similar rally footage.