Julius Malema Faces 15 Years for Gun Offenses Amid Rising Tensions

South African opposition politician Julius Malema has been found guilty of illegal possession of a gun and firing it in public, offences which carry a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison.

In 2018, a video emerged showing the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader using a semi-automatic rifle to fire several shots in the air during his party's fifth anniversary celebrations held in the country's Eastern Cape province.

He was charged alongside his former bodyguard Adriaan Snyman, who was acquitted.

Malema was convicted of hate speech less than two months ago and often lashes out at the white minority in a country where, 31 years after apartheid ended, racial tensions still run high.

He has called for the seizure of white-owned land and argues that more should be done to transfer wealth to the black majority.

Malema was convicted of five offences, including the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, discharging it in a public space and reckless endangerment. These offences fall under the Firearms Control Act and carry a minimum sentence of 15 years in prison.

He was accused of firing between 14 and 15 live rounds on a stage in front of 20,000 EFF supporters, according to South African news site SowetanLIVE. In his defence, Malema told the court the firearm was not his and that he had fired the shots to rouse the crowd.

It took three days for magistrate Twanet Olivier to tell Malema you are found guilty as charged. The case was postponed to January 2026 for pre-sentencing.

Malema seemed unfazed by his conviction, telling supporters that going to prison or death is a badge of honour. He vowed to challenge the judgment, even up to South Africa's highest court, the Constitutional Court.

Malema's prosecution came after Afrikaner lobby group AfriForum opened a case against him after the video went viral. This group was also among those who laid a hate speech complaint against him, resulting in his conviction by the country's equality court in August.

Legal expert Ulrich Roux stated that there was a good chance Malema could serve a prison sentence, emphasizing the legal implications of his actions.

In South Africa, anyone sentenced to more than 12 months in prison without the option of a fine cannot serve as an MP; however, this disqualification ends five years after the sentence has been completed.