Julius Malema, the firebrand leader of South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), is once again at the center of national and international attention after being convicted of multiple firearms offenses stemming from a dramatic 2018 rally. The East London Magistrate’s Court delivered its verdict on October 1, 2025, finding Malema guilty of discharging a firearm in public, unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and reckless endangerment of people and property. The charges relate to a widely circulated video in which Malema fired what was later determined to be an assault rifle into the air during the EFF’s fifth anniversary celebration in Eastern Cape province, in front of an estimated 20,000 supporters.
The case has ignited fierce debate across South Africa and beyond, touching on issues of political accountability, racial tensions, and the boundaries of protest in a country still grappling with its post-apartheid identity. According to Reuters, the court’s ruling could have significant political consequences for Malema, who has served as a member of parliament for over a decade. If sentenced to more than a year in prison, he could be barred from holding public office under the South African constitution.
Malema, who pleaded not guilty, argued throughout the trial that the firearm was a toy and that he never intended to endanger anyone. The State, however, maintained that he had fired between 14 and 15 live rounds into the air, recklessly endangering lives. Magistrate Twanet Olivier, after three days of judgment proceedings, concluded that Malema was “guilty as charged.” The court was unsparing in its assessment of Malema’s defense, criticizing some witnesses as "argumentative rather than responsive," according to EWN.
Malema’s former bodyguard, Adriaan Snyman, was acquitted of all charges. The prosecution’s case was bolstered by the viral spread of the rally video and a formal complaint from the Afrikaner lobby group AfriForum, which has long had a contentious relationship with Malema and the EFF. AfriForum has also been involved in separate legal actions against Malema for hate speech.
The court postponed sentencing to January 2026, leaving Malema facing a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. In the meantime, Malema has vowed to appeal the judgment, announcing he is "beefing up his legal team" and describing the outcome as a politically motivated “witch hunt.” In a statement, the EFF declared, “This proves that this was a witch hunt to target the president of the EFF and find him guilty no matter how irrational it may be.”
Malema’s legal troubles are not limited to the firearms case. In August 2025, the South African equality court found him guilty of hate speech for remarks made at a 2022 rally, where he told supporters, “No white man is going to beat me up... you must never be scared to kill. A revolution demands that at some point there must be killing.” The court ruled that these comments “demonstrated an intent to incite harm,” though the EFF insisted the statements were taken out of context.
Malema’s rhetoric and actions have long polarized South African society. He has called for the seizure of white-owned land and the transfer of wealth to the Black majority, stoking both support and outrage. His refusal to stop singing the apartheid-era protest song “Kill the Boer” has especially angered many white South Africans, who see it as a call to violence. According to Reuters, far-right groups and online forums have seized on Malema’s words, interpreting them as incitement.
The controversy has even drawn in international figures. During a May 2025 meeting at the White House, former US President Donald Trump played a video montage of Malema leading chants of “Kill the Boer” and called for his arrest, accusing him of fomenting violence against white South Africans. Trump’s intervention, and subsequent claims that South Africa was committing “genocide” against white Afrikaners, were widely rejected by South African officials, with President Cyril Ramaphosa describing Malema as a member of “a small minority party” and emphasizing that his statements did not reflect government policy. Nevertheless, Malema and the EFF have argued that their legal challenges are the result of “imperialist and right-wing agendas,” pointing a finger directly at Trump and his allies.
The National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa has firmly denied any foreign influence in the case. In a statement reported by The New York Times, the authority said the verdict “reaffirms its commitment to upholding the rule of the law” and administering justice “without fear or favor.” Kallie Kriel, leader of AfriForum, expressed uncertainty over whether Malema’s conviction would satisfy international critics, remarking that President Ramaphosa’s refusal to condemn “Kill the Boer” “remains a huge stumbling block.”
The political stakes for Malema are high. As Reuters notes, a sentence exceeding one year would render him ineligible to serve in parliament, potentially sidelining one of South Africa’s most visible—and divisive—opposition leaders. Malema’s supporters, however, remain defiant, with the EFF promising to fight the conviction and framing the case as an attack on their movement’s mission to address economic and racial inequality.
Meanwhile, the broader debate over land reform, racial justice, and the legacy of apartheid continues to simmer. Malema’s actions and the state’s response have become a lightning rod for these unresolved issues, with each side accusing the other of bad faith and ulterior motives. As the country awaits Malema’s sentencing in January 2026, the outcome will likely reverberate far beyond the courtroom, shaping the contours of South African politics in the years to come.
For now, Julius Malema’s fate—and the future of his political career—hangs in the balance, as South Africa confronts its turbulent past and uncertain future.
