EFF leader Julius Malema has declared he is not afraid of going to prison after the East London Regional Court found him guilty in his long-running firearms case.
The court ruled on Wednesday, 1 October 2025, that Malema was guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, firing a weapon in a public place, failure to take reasonable precautions, and reckless endangerment.
His sentencing has been scheduled for 23 January 2026.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the charges stem from an incident at the EFF’s fifth-anniversary rally at Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane on 28 July 2018.
A viral video showed Malema firing a rifle into the air. The firearm allegedly belonged to a private security company run by his co-accused, Adriaan Snyman. After years of hearings, testimony from 19 witnesses, and numerous delays, the court found Malema guilty while acquitting Snyman of all charges【source】.
Magistrate Twanet Olivier, who presided over the case, described the evidence given by State witnesses as “credible, reliable and truthful.”
She criticised Malema’s approach in court, saying, “Many questions that warranted a reply were not answered. He told the court he could not count the shots fired because he had graduated from woodwork. These types of answers did not do the accused any favours.”
Olivier added that she took three days to deliver her judgment to ensure every detail was properly considered.
Speaking outside the courthouse after the ruling, Malema dismissed the case as racially and politically motivated. He pointed to the acquittal of Snyman, saying:
“They said [Snyman] gave me the firearm, now they are releasing him, which means he did not give me the firearm. By releasing [Snyman], the whole case should have collapsed. They could not collapse the case for racist reasons: to appease AfriForum and the Oval Office of Donald Trump.”
Malema told supporters gathered outside that he was unshaken by the outcome:
“We are not scared of dying for the revolution. We will continue to fight. We will go to the Supreme Court of Appeal and end up at the Constitutional Court. We are not fighting the case; we are fighting racism that we have been subjected to in the past seven years.”
He confirmed he will appeal immediately after sentencing, saying the magistrate’s judgment was “faulty.”
The EFF leader announced plans to strengthen his legal team by adding advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi for the appeal process. He also launched a scathing attack on Magistrate Olivier, accusing her of struggling to read her own notes.
Addressing EFF members outside court, Malema urged them to remain focused on political activities:
“Go back to [the EFF’s] branches — it’s business as usual. Never mind this nonsense [case]. Don’t take it to heart.”
The case, originally initiated by lobby group AfriForum, has stretched across seven years and drawn national attention.
With sentencing now set for January 2026, Malema’s conviction marks a dramatic chapter in his political career.