Malema's prison sentence won’t affect performance at upcoming polls: EFF

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) said Julius Malema’s prison sentence will have no bearing on the party’s performance at the upcoming local government elections.

The East London Magistrates Court slapped the EFF leader with a five-year direct prison sentence on Thursday after being found guilty of violating gun laws.

This goes back to an EFF rally in Mdantsane eight years ago, where Malema fired a rifle in front of 20,000 people.

While Malema has been sentenced, he’ll remain a free man pending his bid to appeal his sentence at the Eastern Cape High Court.

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In the last general elections, one of the setbacks the EFF faced was the rise of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, which saw its support drop to 9% in Parliament.

There have been suggestions that Malema’s sentence could present another major challenge, potentially impacting the EFF’s performance in the upcoming municipal polls.

However, EFF deputy secretary-general Leanne Mathys said the party will weather the storm despite the cloud hanging over Malema’s head.

“Justice is very long in this country. We have been in this court for almost seven years. So, by the time we even get to the Constitutional Court, elections will be over by then.”

She doubts voters will even consider Malema’s conviction when marking the ballot paper.

“There is no sober South African that takes this process and this conviction seriously.”