South African opposition firebrand Julius Malema has been sentenced to five years in prison after a court found him guilty of unlawfully firing an assault rifle during an EFF rally in 2018.

The magistrate ruled that the Economic Freedom Fighters leader knowingly breached firearm laws when he discharged the weapon into the air at a party celebration, describing the act as deliberate and unlawful.

The sentencing triggered strong reactions outside court, where hundreds of EFF supporters dressed in red gathered in solidarity, underscoring the political weight of the case.

Malema, known for his confrontational rhetoric and influence in South African politics, now faces a major legal and political setback as the judgment threatens to reshape the opposition landscape ahead of future elections.