Malema's firearm conviction: EFF claims political targeting ahead of elections
Economic Freedom Fighters' Malema found guilty of firearm charges, party alleges political motives
Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Newspapers
The recent conviction of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has sparked fresh controversy, with the party’s Head of International Relations, Nqobile Mhlongo, raising concerns over the timing and motivation behind the court ruling.
Malema was found guilty on Wednesday of illegal possession of a firearm and discharging it in public.
The offences stem from an incident during the EFF’s fifth anniversary celebrations in 2018 in the Eastern Cape province. They carry a minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment.
His former bodyguard, Adriaan Snyman, who was charged alongside him, was acquitted.
Presiding magistrate Twanet Olivier confirmed Malema’s guilt and postponed sentencing to January 2026.
Mhlongo expressed deep dissatisfaction with the outcome, alleging a politically motivated effort to undermine their leader.
“Suddenly, there are books published about our leader portraying him as a bad person who is undesirable and violent. The timing of this is critical because we are also going forward with local government elections,” she said.
She further argued that if the EFF were truly violent, there would have been widespread protests over the seven years it took to resolve the case.
“This verdict appears to be a systematic targeting of Julius Malema,” Mhlongo added.
Linking international political tensions to the case, Mhlongo pointed to a past incident where US President Donald Trump questioned President Cyril Ramaphosa earlier this year in the White House about why Malema had not been arrested for singing the “kill the boer” struggle song.
Trump had falsely accused South Africa of committing genocide against the white minority.
“South Africa was meant to lose on African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), but suddenly there are discussions about granting a one-year extension. So all these things really need to be connected,” Mhlongo said.
AGOA is a US trade programme that provides duty-free access to the American market for over 6,000 products from more than 30 eligible sub-Saharan African countries.
In an official statement released on Wednesday, the EFF decried the conviction as part of a broader campaign against Malema.
“From the moment CIC Malema and the EFF fearlessly confronted corruption in the highest offices, demanded land expropriation without compensation, and exposed the capture of the state by both local and global capital, the system has sought to silence him by any means necessary,” the party stated."
The party said that the judgment is part of a wider pattern, adding that Malema has previously faced a series of politically motivated prosecutions.
“He was dragged before courts on charges relating to freedom of speech and the singing of our very own struggle songs, as well as encouraging his own organisation to stand up to white racists in the case of Brackenfell.”
The EFF characterised the conviction as an attack on the millions of South Africans who view the party as a catalyst for socio-economic transformation.
“It is an attack on the poor, the landless, the workers, and the youth of this country who refuse to be silenced. We reaffirm our full support for our President and CIC, and call on all Fighters, ground forces, and progressive South Africans to remain committed to the cause of economic freedom in our lifetime,” the statement read.
As Malema awaits sentencing, questions remain about the intersection of politics, justice, and the upcoming local government elections, amid lofty calls for economic freedom and social justice.
thabo.makwakwa@inl.co.za
IOL Politics