EFF president Julius Malema will this week attend his pre-sentencing hearings at the East London Magistrate’s Court after being found to have violated several firearm laws last year.

According to The Citizen, the EFF has mobilised its members to gather in court on Friday to support Malema on what they have described as politically trumped up charges and an irrational judgment by the magistrate.

The matter stems from the EFF fifth anniversary celebration in 2018, where Malema is accused of shooting live bullets in the air and endangering lives.

He was also charged with illegal possession of a firearm.

Initially, Malema claimed that he had used a toy gun. 

Political analyst Andre Duvenhage said he believes that the sentence could dismantle Malema’s political career and possibly see him being removed from Parliament.

‘Julius is in real trouble; the only thing that he can do is what we have described as following the Stalingrad strategy. He can try to appeal and do what (former President Jacob) Zuma does in court, but that is going to be extremely difficult. I will not be surprised if we are in the last phase of Julius Malema. I think that he is going to get a tough decision.’

He said if Malema receives a sentence of longer than a year, he will lose his position in Parliament.

According to section 47 of the Constitution, a person cannot be a member of the National Assembly if convicted of a crime and sentenced to 12 months or more in prison.

One can only be eligible again five years after the sentence ends.

Full report in The Citizen