By: Eugene Upah
South African opposition leader Julius Malema, head of the radical Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, was found guilty on Wednesday of violating gun laws for firing an assault rifle at a political rally in 2018.
The East London Magistrate’s Court convicted the 44-year-old politician on multiple counts, including unlawful possession of a firearm, contravening the Firearms Control Act and reckless endangerment. The charges stem from an incident during the EFF’s fifth-anniversary celebration in the Eastern Cape province, where Malema was filmed discharging an automatic or semi-automatic rifle into the air.
The National Prosecuting Authority confirmed the conviction, which carries a possible maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison. Malema’s then-bodyguard, Adriaan Snyman, who was co-accused in the matter, was found not guilty on all related charges, a ruling that Malema immediately cited as evidence of racism on the part of the magistrate.
Speaking to a crowd of supporters outside the court, a defiant Malema vowed to appeal the judgment, which he called an attempt to discredit the EFF. “As a revolutionary, going to prison or death is a badge of honour. We cannot be scared of prison or dying for the revolution,” Malema declared, maintaining his resolve to fight the verdict up to the Constitutional Court.
The court has postponed the matter to January 23, 2026, for a pre-sentencing hearing.
The guilty verdict adds to the controversy surrounding the anti-capitalist leader, who has long faced criticism, particularly from South Africa’s white minority, for his radical rhetoric, including a recent guilty finding for hate speech in August for comments made at a 2022 rally.
The video Malema guilty on 5 firearm counts from the 2018 rally; Snyman acquitted provides a visual context and detailed report on the court’s judgment against the EFF leader.
