# South African political and legal developments involving EFF

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/south-african-political-and-legal-developments-involving-eff
> Updated: 2026-09-29T13:41:51.000Z. Sources: 6. Developments: 2.

Julius Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), has been involved in both political campaigning and significant legal proceedings in South Africa.

During manifesto launches for the upcoming November local government elections, Malema addressed issues of gender-based violence and crime, specifically condemning the killing of ten women in Ekurhuleni. He also criticized the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, alleging instability due to leadership changes and internal expulsions.

Concurrently, Malema has faced legal challenges regarding a firearm conviction stemming from a 2018 incident. The Eastern Cape High Court in Makhanda granted him leave to appeal his conviction and a five-year prison sentence. While a sentence of this length typically disqualifies a member from Parliament, Malema will retain his seat in the National Assembly as the disqualification is suspended pending the appeal. The EFF has described the prosecution as a ‘witch hunt’ by AfriForum.

## Claims

- The Eastern Cape High Court granted Julius Malema leave to appeal his firearm conviction and five-year sentence. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Malema was sentenced to five years of direct imprisonment for five firearm-related charges. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The charges stem from an incident in July 2018 where Malema discharged a rifle during an EFF anniversary rally in Mdantsane. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) claims the prosecution was a politically motivated action initiated by AfriForum. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Malema retains his seat in the National Assembly because the disqualification is suspended pending the appeal. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-29: Julius Malema granted leave to appeal firearm conviction

EFF leader Julius Malema has been granted leave to appeal his firearm conviction and five-year prison sentence before a Full Bench of the Eastern Cape High Court.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/julius-malema-granted-leave-to-appeal-firearm-conviction

### 2026-09-20: Julius Malema addresses crime and political rivals during EFF campaign

EFF leader Julius Malema condemned recent killings of women in Ekurhuleni and criticized the stability of Jacob Zuma’s MK Party during campaign launches for upcoming local elections.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/julius-malema-addresses-crime-and-political-rivals-in-election-campaign

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Cite as: South African political and legal developments involving EFF. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/south-african-political-and-legal-developments-involving-eff