South African opposition politician Julius Malema jailed for five years
Apr 17, 2026
Johannesburg, April 17: The leader of South Africa's opposition party, Julius Malema, has been sentenced to five years in prison without parole for violating the Firearms Act.
The 45-year-old head of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party will begin serving his sentence immediately, Judge Twanet Olivier said at the Magistrates' Court in KuGompo City, formerly East London, on Thursday. Malema's lawyer said he would appeal.
In 2018, Malema fired several live rounds into the air during a party celebration. He did not hold a firearms licence for the semi-automatic rifle. The party leader, in whom great hopes had been placed as a young politician, was found guilty in October, and the sentencing has been pending since then.
Source: Qatar Tribune
