Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema is at the East London Magistrate’s Court on Monday morning, where the magistrate will hand down judgment in his firearms case.
Julius Malema to learn of his fate in firearms discharge case
The judgment is being streamed live, with political supporters and opponents of Malema expected to watch closely.
The ruling comes seven years after a video from the party’s 2018 birthday rally appeared to show Malema firing a rifle into the air at a packed stadium in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape.
The case, widely described as both politically and racially charged, has drawn national attention. Malema and his bodyguard, Adriaan Snyman, face charges under the Firearms Control Act.
These include the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, and the alleged discharge of a firearm in a public space.
The trial has centred on footage from the EFF’s 5th anniversary celebration. The video appears to show Snyman handing Malema a rifle moments before it was allegedly discharged near the crowd.
Prosecutors argued that the incident showed a disregard for public safety, while Malema’s defence has maintained that the weapon was not real.
In his testimony, Malema told the court that the rifle was a prop firearm and could not fire live rounds. He argued that an object without live ammunition should not legally be considered a firearm.
Malema also said that no one at the rally reacted with alarm, which he claimed was evidence that the crowd believed the gun was not real.
Snyman’s defence similarly denied wrongdoing, stating that he had no reason to believe the weapon posed a threat to anyone at the rally.
The verdict being delivered today will determine whether Malema and Snyman are acquitted or face penalties under the Firearms Control Act. If convicted, the charges could carry fines or prison time.