South Africa’s Julius Malema Convicted for Firing Gun at EFF Rally, Faces Up to 15 Years in Jail

South African opposition leader Julius Malema has been convicted of multiple firearms offences after a video showed him firing live rounds into the air during a packed rally in 2018.

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) chief was found guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, discharging a weapon in a public place, and reckless endangerment. The most serious offence carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.

The ruling, delivered by magistrate Twanet Olivier, came after a three-day judgment process. Malema’s case has been postponed until January 2026 for pre-sentencing.

Gunfire in Front of 20,000 Supporters

The charges stem from the EFF’s fifth anniversary celebrations in the Eastern Cape, where Malema was accused of firing up to 15 shots in front of about 20,000 supporters. His former bodyguard, Adriaan Snyman, who had been charged alongside him, was acquitted.

In his defence, Malema claimed the gun was not his and argued he fired the shots only to energise the crowd.

Hate Speech Conviction Still Fresh

The firebrand politician, known for his militant rhetoric and fierce criticism of South Africa’s white minority, was convicted of hate speech less than two months ago. In that case, the country’s equality court ruled that his statement urging supporters “not to fear killing” amounted to incitement.

AfriForum, a lobby group that has long clashed with Malema and the EFF, initiated the firearms case after the video went viral. The group was also central to the hate speech complaint earlier this year.

A Divisive Figure

Malema, once a close ally of the ruling ANC before breaking away to form the EFF, has built his political career on calls for land expropriation without compensation and greater redistribution of wealth to South Africa’s black majority.

Supporters see him as a fearless champion of economic justice, while critics accuse him of stoking racial tensions in a country still scarred by apartheid three decades after its end.

His conviction marks one of the most serious legal blows to date against one of South Africa’s most controversial political figures.