Judgment in EFF leader Julius Malema’s firearm discharge case was on Monday postponed to allow for the East London Magistrate to finish reading out the ruling.

The proceedings saw a strong EFF contingent gather outside the court as they awaited the finality of a court matter that has taken more than five years.

The trial relates to alleged violations of the Firearms Control Act, including the unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.

The EFF leader, alongside his former bodyguard Adriaan Snyman, are charged with the unlawful possession of a firearm and discharging it in a public place. 

The pair is facing multiple charges, including unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, discharging a firearm in a built-up area, and reckless endangerment related to the EFF’s fifth-anniversary celebrations at Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane on 28 July 2018.

Both Malema and Snyman had pleaded not guilty, insisting that the object discharged was a toy gun which has no capacity to fire live rounds, while the State has argued that it was a real firearm, with support from 19 witnesses, including ballistics experts.

Magistrate Twanet Olivier said due to time constraints, she would resume the matter on Tuesday after spending the better part of Monday going through evidence presented by witnesses during the trial.

“There was a request that we should work until late tonight. That part of working late tonight, I cannot make that decision. That part will have to be taken up by whoever is present in court and can deal with that protocol,” she said.

Addressing the crowd outside court, EFF deputy president, Marshall Dlamini, called for the matter to be finalised with speed, saying the party has lost a lot of time and money on the case.

siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za

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