Julius Malema Found Guilty in Firearm Discharge Trial, EFF Leader Convicted on All 5 Counts
- A verdict was handed down in the case against Julius Malema in the East London Magistrate’s Court
- The Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) leader faced numerous charges, including unlawful possession of a firearm
- Malema's bodyguard, Adriaan Snyman, also heard his fate for the two charges he faced in relation to the incident
Source: Getty Images
Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent 10 years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.
EASTERN CAPE – Julius Malema has been found guilty of five counts of breaching the Firearms Control Act by the East London Magistrate’s Court on 1 October 2025.
The Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) leader faced charges of unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, discharging a firearm in a public space, failure to take reasonable precautions to avoid danger to a person or property and reckless endangerment to a person or property.
The charges related to a matter in 2018 at the EFF's fifth birthday rally in Mdantsane, Eastern Cape, where a video captured Malema firing a rifle near a large crowd. He maintained his innocence throughout the lengthy trial, insisting that the firearm in question was a toy and therefore he did not breach the Firearms Control Act.
The matter went to court after AfriForum opened a case against Malema.
Magistrate Twanet Olivier finds Malema guilty
During lengthy proceedings for the delivery of the judgement, which spanned over three days, Magistrate Twanet Olivier found the Commander-in-Chief guilty on all five counts. She also found that his bodyguard, Adriaan Snyman, was not guilty of the two charges he faced.
Snyman was charged after he was accused of handing the weapon to Malema before the incident. Despite being discharged and free to go, Snyman remained in court beside Malema after the verdict was handed down.
The matter will now be postponed to 23 January 2026 for pre-sentencing reports. Malema will remain out on bail until then.
Malema's testimony made things worse
During her judgement, Magistrate Olivier noted that Malema's testimony didn't do him any favours. When answering questions about how many shots he fired, Malema first stated that he fired 15 shots, before later claiming that he could not count because he graduated in woodwork.
"On how the cartridge or the SPA 249-14 was linked to him, he said, 'it must have been the Holy Spirit'," Magistrate Olivier noted.
She added that such answers didn't do him any favours.
Other stories related to Malema's firearms verdict
Briefly News reported that there had been a lot of different reactions emanating after Malema's trial, with the EFF leader himself sharing his thoughts.
- Malema addressed party supporters outside the court, remaining defiant despite the verdict passed down against him.
- AfriForum applauded the guilty verdict handed down, saying that justice was finally being served.
- An EFF supporter burnt Impepho and chanted outside the courtroom after Malema was found guilty in his firearm discharge trial.
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Source: Briefly News
