EFF leader Julius Malema was on Wednesday found guilty on five counts related to the discharging of a firearm at a rally in 2018.
EFF leader Julius Malema gave an expectedly defiant response to being found guilty on multiple gun-related charges.
Taking the party’s stage outside the East London Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday morning, Malema attacked his detractors and claimed the judgment was an attempt to discredit the EFF.
After two and a half days, the court found Malema guilty on five charges, including unlawful possession of a firearm and discharging a firearm in public.
However, his former bodyguard, Adriaan Snyman, was found not guilty on two charges.
‘We can not be scared to die’
Malema said he was pleased that Snyman had been found not guilty, but maintained that the case had always been aimed at targeting him personally.
He said the verdict would not disrupt the work of the party and that it would be used as a source of determination going forward.
“As a revolutionary, going to prison or death is a badge of honour. We can not be scared of prison, we can not be scared to die for the revolution,” said Malema.
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Convincing his supporters that this was just the beginning of a longer legal battle, he vowed to appeal the verdict all the way to the highest court in the land.
“We are going to fight this up until the Constitutional Court. We are coming on 23 January for sentencing, and after sentencing, we will immediately put an appeal so we can go to the higher court,” Malema said.
Verdict to ‘appease racists’
Reflecting on Magistrate Twanet Olivier’s judgment, Malema questioned how the man who handed him the firearm that he was found guilty of discharging could be found not guilty himself.
The EFF leader believed that if Snyman was found not guilty, it should automatically absolve him, using this to fuel his belief in a targeted prosecution.
“By releasing accused number two, the whole case should have collapsed. But the racist was looking for me,” said Malema.
“That’s why they could not collapse the case, for racist reasons to appease AfriForum, to appease the Oval Office of Donald Trump, to appease all the white supremacists of South Africa,” he continued.
Malema thanked his legal team before urging his supporters to “take over South Africa”, stating the information shared at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry highlighted the state’s weaknesses.
“South Africa has been sold to criminals and criminal cartels, and this country must be rescued, and only you can rescue this country by working strong on the ground.
“The country is rotten; the country is looking for an alternative, and you are the alternative. Amandla!”
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