By Johnnie Isaac
EAST LONDON, South Africa, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Thousands of supporters of opposition leader Julius Malema gathered outside the East London Magistrate's Court on Friday as the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader awaited a sentencing hearing over a 2018 incident in which he fired a rifle into the air at a rally.
Malema, 44, was convicted in October of unlawful possession of a firearm and discharging a weapon in a public place. He has pleaded not guilty, maintaining the firearm was a toy. Sentencing could come on the day or be postponed; a custodial sentence longer than 12 months -- if upheld on appeal -- would disqualify him from serving in parliament.
The maximum statutory sentence for the offences can reach 15 years, though judges may impose a less severe penalty, such as community service, if mitigating factors are found. Outside the courthouse, supporters held placards reading "We stand with Julius Malema" and many wore the EFF's trademark red berets.
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) supporters arrive ahead of South African opposition politician Julius Malema's appearance at court for a pre-sentencing hearing after being convicted of charges including unlawful possession of a firearm and discharging a weapon in public, in East London, South Africa January 23, 2026. Picture taken with a mobile phone. REUTERS/Siyabonga Sishi
Malema Could Be Barred From Parliament
The far-left EFF is the fourth-largest party in South Africa's parliament, holding roughly 10% of seats. The party, popular among many young South Africans frustrated by slow progress on racial and economic inequality, campaigns for policies including nationalising mines and land redistribution.
Independent analyst Melanie Verwoerd said the EFF's fortunes are closely tied to Malema's prominence, citing polls that show the party's identity is strongly associated with its leader. The outcome of the sentencing could therefore be a significant blow to the party's influence.
The case has also renewed attention to Malema's past rhetoric. His name surfaced during a tense meeting at the White House last year, when U.S. President Donald Trump showed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa footage of Malema singing the liberation chant "Kill the Boer" and suggested Malema should be detained, while repeating unsubstantiated claims about killings of white South Africans.
Afrikaner lobby group Afriforum, which pushed for charges related to the 2018 firearm incident, argues the chant is a literal call to violence against Afrikaners. South African courts, however, have repeatedly declined to classify the song as hate speech on the grounds that it forms part of liberation struggle tradition rather than a direct incitement to murder.
It remained unclear whether sentencing would be handed down on Friday. Additional reporting by Anathi Madubela in Johannesburg; Writing by Alexander Winning; Editing by Olivia Kumwenda-Mtambo and Philippa Fletcher.
