EFF leader Julius Malema will not participate in Parliament’s ad hoc committee proceedings this week as he prepares to return to the East London Magistrate’s Court on Friday for a pre-sentencing hearing.
Malema was convicted in 2025 on five charges, including unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, discharging a firearm in a public space, reckless endangerment and failure to take reasonable precautions.
The convictions stem from a July 2018 incident during the EFF’s fifth anniversary celebrations in Mdantsane, where Malema was filmed firing a rifle into the air.
The upcoming hearing will determine Malema’s sentence, with the possibility of direct imprisonment.
Under the Constitution, any member of Parliament sentenced to more than 12 months’ imprisonment without the option of a fine is disqualified from holding office for five years.
The EFF confirmed on Monday that Malema would be absent from the ad hoc committee’s work this week.
In a statement, the party dismissed the court’s ruling as politically motivated and irrational, maintaining that the case was driven by hostility toward the organisation rather than evidence.
The party urged the public to closely observe the legal proceedings and cautioned against speculation regarding Malema’s absence from parliamentary activities.
EFF Deputy Secretary-General Leigh-Ann Mathys will represent the party in committee engagements for the remainder of the week.
Meanwhile, Parliament’s ad hoc committee met on Monday to finalise its programme through February.
The committee is expected to hear testimony this week from former Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) head Robert McBride and suspended EMPD chief Julius Mkhwanazi.
Members of Parliament (MPs) have also called for forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan to appear before the committee, warning that failure to comply could result in serious consequences.
Politics
