• Julius Malema sentenced to five years for illegal firearm possession.
• The conviction could prevent him from serving as a lawmaker.
• Malema plans to appeal the court's decision.
• Hundreds of supporters rallied outside the courthouse during sentencing.
• Firing incident occurred at a 2018 rally.

South African opposition leader Julius Malema has been sentenced to at least five years in prison after being found guilty of firearm offenses, including illegal possession and reckless discharge at a 2018 rally. Magistrate Twanet Olivier handed down the sentence, emphasizing the need to punish crimes to protect democracy, stating, "It is clear that if crimes are allowed to go unchecked... it poses a serious threat to our democratic state," according to BBC, Al Jazeera, and Reuters.

Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), was convicted last year of multiple charges stemming from the incident, including discharging a firearm in a built-up area. His lawyers claimed the gun was a toy and argued for a more lenient sentence, but the court ultimately rejected that argument. Following the sentencing, Malema's legal team indicated their intention to appeal, which may delay his transfer to prison, according to BBC and Reuters.

The case has significant implications for the EFF, as a prison term exceeding 12 months, once all appeals are resolved, would disqualify Malema from serving as a lawmaker. The Economic Freedom Fighters are popular among young South Africans who feel disenfranchised by ongoing racial inequalities since the end of apartheid, highlighting the political ramifications of this legal outcome, according to Al Jazeera and Reuters.