Floyd Shivambu Slams Julius Malema Over Gun Conviction: “Childish Behaviour”
- Floyd Shivambu is calling out Julius Malema amid his legal woes
- The former EFF deputy President described Malema’s behaviour with guns as childish
- Speaking on MacG’s Podcast and Chill, Shivambu relayed his account of the fateful day that led to Malema’s criminal conviction
In a scathing interview on Podcast and Chill, former EFF deputy President Floyd Shivambu has launched a fresh attack on Julius Malema, describing the EFF leader’s 2018 gun incident as “childish” and claiming it drained the party of massive resources.
Source: Getty Images
Shivambu made the remarks just after Malema was sentenced to prison in his high-profile firearm case in the East London Regional Court.
“I think it’s childish to play with guns, whether it’s real or toy guns. If it’s a toy gun, it’s even worse,” Shivambu said.
He added that he was present at the event but did not touch the gun.
DON'T MISS IT: Stay Away From Fake News With Our Short, Free Fact-Checking Course. Join And Get Certified!
“I don’t know whether it’s a toy gun or a real gun… but I think generally to play with guns is childish and if it’s a toy gun it’s even much more childish.”
He went further, linking the incident directly to years of legal and logistical costs for the EFF.
“I’ll tell you something, since 2018, if you were to calculate the amount of money that has been spent on lawyers and bussing supporters to go and say ‘hands off CiC’, it’s possibly about 50 million rand because of childish behaviour.”
The comments come amid Malema’s ongoing legal battle. In October 2025, the EFF leader was convicted on five counts under the Firearms Control Act, including unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, as well as discharging a firearm in public. The charges stem from the EFF’s fifth-anniversary celebrations at Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane on 28 July 2018, where Malema was captured on video firing a rifle into the air.
Source: Twitter
Shivambu and Malema were once close allies, with Shivambu serving as EFF deputy president from the party’s founding in 2013 until his dramatic exit in August 2024. He briefly joined Jacob Zuma’s uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party as secretary-general before being dismissed in June 2025. In September 2025, he launched the Afrika Mayibuye Movement, positioning it as a fresh alternative focused on economic emancipation.
The timing of Shivambu’s comments, on the same day Malema’s sentencing dominated headlines, has sparked heated reactions online, with some calling it a “kick while he’s down” and others praising it as long-overdue honesty from a man who was once at the heart of the EFF.
The podcast clip has gone viral on social media.
Violence erupts between police and EFF supporters
Meanwhile Briefly News previously reported that members of the South African Police Service and Economic Freedom Fighters supporters clashed in Mpumalanga.
The party's president, Julius Malema, was sentenced to five years imprisonment at the magistrates court in Ku-Gompo City in the Eastern Cape.
Angry supporters took to the streets and attempted to block the N4, leading to the exchange.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
