Julius Malema Granted Leave to Appeal Sentence After East London Court Hands Him Five Year Jail Term
- Julius Malema's legal team seeks to appeal his conviction on five charges related to the Firearms Control Act (Act 60 of 2000)
- The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader was sentenced to an effective five years in prison by the East London Magistrate's Court
- The Commander-in-Chief of the Red Berets will also be heading to a higher court to challenge Magistrate Twanet Olivier's sentencing
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Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
EASTERN CAPE - Julius Malema will not be going to prison after he was sentenced to an effective five years behind bars.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader was sentenced to a direct imprisonment of five years and handed a fine of R60,000 after he was convicted on five charges related to the Firearms Control Act (Act 60 of 2000).
The East London Magistrate’s Court handed down the sentence on 16 April 2026, but his legal team appealed the decision immediately. They also appealed the decision to convict him.
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Leave for appeal granted for sentencing
After brief arguments were heard, Magistrate Twanet Olivier ruled that the leave to appeal the conviction was not granted. She did, however, allow leave to appeal the sentencing.
Malema’s legal team can now approach the high court in a bid to overturn the sentence. The legal team also indicated that it will petition the high court to challenge his conviction.
The State also confirmed that it had no objection to Malema being released on warning pending his appeal. Malema has thus been released on warning as per the previously arranged conditions.
He previously told supporters on 15 April 2025, after the first day of his pre-sentencing, that he would not be spending a night in jail, as he was confident in the outcome of the matter. While the sentencing did not go his way, Malema's legal team ensured that he would not go to prison anytime soon, as the matter will be wrapped up in appeals.
He also maintained that they would take the fight all the way to the Constitutional Court if needed.
AfriForum's Ernst van Zyl welcomes Malema sentencing
Briefly News reported that AfriForum's Head of Public Relations, Ernst van Zyl, weighed in on the sentence handed down to Malema.
AfriForum, which laid the charges against Malema following a 2018 EFF rally held in Mdantsane, were pushing for a 15-year jail term.
Van Zyl took to social media to comment on the sentence handed down to Malema, welcoming the ruling.
Geordin Hill-Lewis reacts to sentence handed down to Malema
Cape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis has weighed in on Julius Malema's sentencing in the East London Magistrate's Court.
The newly elected Democratic Alliance leader welcomed the news, saying that no one was above the law.
South Africans took to social media to weigh in on Hill-Lewis's comments about Maelam's sentence, criticising him for it.
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Source: Briefly News
