Judiciary ‘politically targeted’ Julius Malema, says political analyst

Political analyst Ebrahim Harvey has accused the judiciary of 'politically targeting' Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) leader Julius Malema. 

This was after Magistrate Twanet Olivier sentenced the political leader to five years in prison after he was found guilty of the illegal possession of a gun and firing it in public.

A video of Malema firing a gun in public at the party’s rally in 2018 went viral, and the Afrikaner lobby group AfriForum opened a case against him.

Malema’s application for leave to appeal the sentence has been granted, but the court dismissed his bid to appeal his conviction, maintaining that he broke the law.

RELATED: Malema granted leave to appeal his prison sentence

Harvey described the sentencing as 'severe' and 'disproportionate'.

“You have to ask, has the judiciary been captured in this particular case… What an over-the-top, disproportionate sentencing.

“This seems [to be] a political targeting… I think the better half of the DA, and certainly the ANC, would disagree with this very severe sentence. I don’t know what this judge sought to do with this.

“It is completely disproportionate, and I am completely against this severe sentencing.”

Future of the EFF

Harvey explained that, while the looming sentence may not significantly affect the party’s performance in the upcoming local election, its longer-term future might be at stake.

“It would profoundly affect the party. Floyd Shivambu is lost, Mbuyiseni Ndlozi is lost, and now Malema is being sentenced to five years. And even after that five years he would serve, there is still another five years [of disqualification from Parliament].

“He’s loss to Parliament, he’s loss to the EFF, it would have massive ramifications for the EFF.”

He added that this may benefit the DA with a potentially hung Parliament in 2029.

Last time out, the EFF got 9.5% of the vote, while the DA secured 21.8%.

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

To listen to Harvey in conversation with CapeTalk’s Lester Kiewit, use the audio player below: