DA's Ian Cameron says Malema verdict exposes EFF’s 'culture of violence'
The Democratic Alliance (DA) has welcomed the conviction of EFF leader Julius Malema by the East London Magistrates’ Court for discharging a firearm in public without lawful cause.
DA deputy spokesperson on police Ian Cameron said the ruling “confirms what was always obvious: Malema recklessly fired a gun into the air in front of thousands of supporters.”
IOL reported that the court found Malema guilty on Wednesday of several charges, including unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, discharging a firearm in a public space, reckless endangerment, and failing to take reasonable precautions to avoid danger.
The convictions relate to an incident at the EFF’s fifth birthday rally in 2018, where Malema was seen firing shots into the air at the packed Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane after being handed a rifle.
His former bodyguard, Adriaan Snyman, faced trial alongside him but was acquitted of some charges and subsequently discharged.
Cameron pointed out that from the outset, video footage showed Malema firing a real weapon. “I said so then because the recoil, muzzle flash, and handling were consistent with a live firearm,” he said, adding that the conviction affirmed the facts captured on video.
He described the case as “not simply about Malema’s conduct, but also about the culture of chaos, violence, and criminality that the leader of the EFF embodies and promotes.”
Cameron accused Malema of demonstrating “exactly the kind of thuggery the EFF is prepared to unleash on South Africa,” with his reckless act being “cheered on and excused by those who insisted it was a fake gun.”
He said these were “deliberate lies” intended to shield Malema from accountability and to normalise lawlessness.
Cameron stressed that South Africa’s firearm laws “are clear and apply equally to all,” noting that “ordinary citizens face prosecution daily for far less.”
He insisted that “if equality before the law is to mean anything, then Malema and his cronies must face the full consequences,” and that “no political leader should ever be allowed to incite violence or flaunt the law with impunity, ” he said.
While calling for accountability, Cameron cautioned against penalizing law-abiding citizens. He warned that the current Firearms Control Amendment Bill “seeks to punish or burden law-abiding citizens as a result of the unlawful actions of a few.”
Reiterating the DA’s stance against violence, Cameron said, “Our country’s future cannot be built on bullets and threats. It must be built on the rule of law.” He described the conviction as “a step toward reaffirming that principle.”
hope.ntanzi@iol.co.za
IOL Politics