KuGOMPO CITY, South Africa – Julius Malema, an opposition leader in South Africa, has been sentenced to prison for shooting a gun into the air during a party event.
Magistrate Twanet Olivier sentenced Malema, the head of the far-left opposition Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), to five years in prison on Thursday, April 16, 2026.
Julius Malema in East London Magistrate’s Court. Photo: EFF. Source: X.
Malema, one of the most well-known politicians in South Africa, was found guilty last year of charges related to the 2018 incident at a stadium in the Eastern Cape province, including unauthorised possession of a handgun and discharging a weapon in a public place.
Al Jazeera reported that, claiming the gun was a toy, the 45-year-old head of the fourth-largest party in parliament entered a not guilty plea. According to his defence, his shots were merely meant to be festive.
“It wasn’t … an impulsive act,” the magistrate said. “It was the event of the evening.”
Why was Julius Malema sentenced?
Malema was given two years for illicit ammunition possession and five years for unlawful firearm possession by the court. It sentenced him to jail time if he failed to pay fines for three additional offences, including firing a pistol in a populated place. The sentences will flow simultaneously.
Malema’s attorneys requested permission to appeal within minutes of the magistrate’s ruling being read out in the KuGompo City, previously East London, court on Thursday.
This motion was subsequently approved. The EFF, a tiny but vocal group, claims the lawsuit is an effort to quiet its vocal leader, who is well-known for his passionate speeches.
How Caleb Amisi reacted to Malema’s sentencing
After Malema appeared in court, vocal Saboti MP Caleb Amisi said he had taken note of the sentencing.
“As leaders and believers in the African renaissance, this moment calls for sober reflection on the centrality of the rule of law, democratic accountability, and the strength of our institutions across the continent,” said MP Amisi.
The second-term opposition lawmaker emphasised that Africa’s rebirth must be anchored on justice that is impartial, institutions that are independent, and leadership that remains accountable to the law regardless of status or political persuasion.
“At the same time, every citizen and political leader must be guaranteed the full protection of due process and the right to exhaust all legal avenues available under the law,” added the youthful Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) MP.
MP Amisi reiterated that Africa can only rise when justice is not selective, when democracy is protected, and when political differences are resolved within constitutional and peaceful frameworks.
“Kenya needs a renaissance. Africa kills her son!” he added.
What is next for the EFF party?
In the event that their leader is imprisoned, party members have threatened to stage protests.
“It is not a political party that has been convicted here… it is a person, an individual,” the magistrate emphasised.
Fifteen years in prison was the maximum sentence that could be imposed. Malema’s five-year sentence on Thursday would prevent him from being a politician if it is upheld following all appeals.
The EFF, which enjoys substantial support among young South Africans who are dissatisfied with the racial injustice that has continued following the end of white minority rule in 1994, would suffer a significant setback from Malema’s conviction.
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