Streets of East London run red as EFF floods CBD in anticipation of Malema sentencing

As Julius Malema boarded his plane en route to Buffalo City, where he is scheduled to make his next court appearance, the streets of East London ran red.

Supporters, donning an assortment of red shirts, caps, berets and flags, flooded the streets of the city’s CBD late on Thursday afternoon, marching and singing in support of the EFF leader.

“You come for him, you come for all of us. We stand together as one!” a member of the crowd shouted as they marched down Currie Street.

“Hands off Malema!” his fellow marchers yelled.

Meanwhile, others gathered outside the East London Airport eagerly awaiting his arrival.

Malema returns to the East London Magistrates’ Court, where his pre-sentencing proceedings are expected to get under way after he was convicted in 2025 on several firearms-related charges.

The charges date back to 2018 when Malema was attending the EFF’s fifth birthday celebrations at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane.

The court found that Malema had taken an assault rifle from his former bodyguard and co-accused, Adriaan Snyman, and fired several shots into the air during the event.

The court rejected Malema’s claims that the assault rifle was a toy and fired blanks, and he was found guilty of several crimes, including unlawful possession of a firearm‚ unlawful possession of ammunition‚ discharging a firearm in a built-up area or public place and reckless endangerment of people or property.

Snyman was acquitted of the charges against him, which included failing to take reasonable precautions to avoid danger to people or property and providing a firearm/ammunition to a person not allowed to possess it.

Read more: Malema vows to appeal against gun conviction as possible prison sentence looms

Malema’s matter was postponed for sentencing proceedings to commence on Friday, 23 January, and while the case enters its final stages, the end is not yet in sight.

According to the Criminal Law Amendment Act, Malema faces a potential minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment for an offence related to the possession of an automatic or semi-automatic firearm.

However, should he prove exceptional or compelling circumstances, the court is likely to deviate from the prescribed sentence.

But a sentence of longer than 12 months, without the option of a fine, could have far-reaching implications. In accordance with the Constitution, such a sentence would bar him from being an MP for five years after the sentence.

Should he receive a fine or suspended sentence, he can still serve as an MP.

Read more: Malema faces a prescribed sentence of 15 years, but he’ll probably receive less

Following their march through the streets, the EFF members gathered at the Orient Theatre, on the East London beachfront, where they held a night vigil in support of Malema.

Public Order Policing has also been placed on standby outside the court where he is scheduled to appear.

A section of Buffalo Street, where the court is situated, was blocked off on Thursday, where a temporary stage was erected, presumably for Malema to address his supporters after his court appearance. DM