Julius Malema vs Oscar Pistorius: Firearm Sentences Compared

• Julius Malema has been handed a five-year direct prison sentence after being convicted over the public discharge of a firearm
• The ruling has reignited comparisons with Oscar Pistorius, whose past firearms-related conduct and sentencing continue to divide public opinion in South Africa
• Social media users are questioning consistency in how similar firearm offences are punished, with arguments emerging over fairness in the justice system

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Commander-in-Chief, Julius Malema, was sentenced to five years' direct imprisonment on Thursday, 16 April 2026, after he was found guilty of the unlawful discharge of a firearm in public.

His case and sentence have drawn renewed attention from South Africans to the former Paralympian Oscar Pistorius, who was previously convicted in a separate but comparable firearms-related matter in 2013. Pistorius’s widely documented case involved the shooting and killing of his then-girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. He has since served half of his sentence and is currently on parole, having been released in January 2024.

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Pistorius was previously described in court proceedings as “trigger-happy” and “aggressive”. Additional characterisation from former partners included claims that he was a “reckless gun owner”.

Julius Malema's firearm sentence details

The EFF leader’s case involved several findings linked to the Firearms Control Act. His sentencing included:

Unlawful possession of a firearm - 5 years

Unlawful possession of ammunition - 2 years

Discharging a firearm in a built-up or public area - R20 000 or 6 months imprisonment

Failure to take reasonable precautions - R20 000 or 6 months imprisonment

Reckless endangerment of people or property - R20 000 or 6 months imprisonment

The direct imprisonment terms were ordered to run concurrently.

Oscar Pistorius firearm case comparison

Like Malema, Oscar Pistorius was involved in firearms-related incidents that drew public attention, but the legal outcomes differed from how they are often summarised. One incident took place at Tasha’s Restaurant in Melrose Arch, where Pistorius discharged a firearm under a table in a crowded setting. He was convicted of a firearms offence relating to this incident.

In another separate matter, he was accused of firing shots through the open sunroof of a vehicle. His then-girlfriend, Samantha Taylor, testified that the incident followed an altercation after he had been pulled over for speeding, and alleged that he laughed while firing the shots. However, he was not convicted in relation to this specific allegation.

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Pistorius was also charged with offences including the unlawful discharge of a firearm in a public place and illegal possession of ammunition, but he was not convicted on all of these counts.

He ultimately received a three-year suspended sentence for the firearms conviction linked to the restaurant incident. That suspended sentence ran concurrently with his sentence for the killing of Reeva Steenkamp. He was later convicted of murder, sentenced to a lengthy prison term, and released on parole in 2024 after serving a portion of his sentence.

Meanwhile, social media users have questioned Julius Malema’s firearm-related sentence, arguing it appears harsher when compared to Oscar Pistorius’s punishment.

See the X post below:

@SADailyLives:

“Oscar Pistorius got a suspended sentence for discharging his firearm in a restaurant under the table, a restaurant full of patrons. I’m sure they will say he also had justification.”

@SizweLo:

“Oscar Pistorius committed a similar offence to Julius Malema for which he received a three-year suspended sentence.”

@Mani_Fulufhelo:

“Oscar Pistorius once shot a gun at a restaurant filled with people, but he never got jailed for that. He got a suspended sentence. Malema shot a gun in the air, and he got five years’ imprisonment.”

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EFF celebrates as Julius Malema secures leave to appeal prison sentence

See the tweet below:

During the case ruling appeal, Malema's lawyer, Advocate Laurence Hodes, referred to Pistorius's case.

Natalie du Toit faces SARS action

Briefly News previously reported that South African Paralympic legend Natalie du Toit found herself in the spotlight for reasons outside the swimming pool.

In January 2026, reports revealed that the decorated athlete was facing a formal demand from the South African Revenue Service (SARS) for more than R1 million in unpaid taxes.

Source: Briefly News