Julius Malema faces another criminal case

Afriforum chief executive Kallie Kriel has revealed that EFF leader Julius Malema is being criminally prosecuted for crimen injuria after their intervention.

Kriel shared this information on a social media post, explaining that Afriforum has helped to file the charge against Malema.

The case stems from public statements and social media posts Malema made about Jaco Pieterse, the former principal of Bergview College in Matatiele.

The case involves a child whose mother alleges she was raped at the Bergview College in Matatiele, Eastern Cape, in October 2024.

Pieterse and the school’s caretaker became targets of a social media campaign. However, they were proven to be innocent.

Following the unfounded allegations against him, Pieterse took steps to hold politicians, including Malema, accountable for publicly violating his dignity.

Pieterse, represented by AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit, led by advocate Gerrie Nel, laid charges of crimen injuria against numerous politicians.

The charges were filed against ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula, EFF leader Julius Malema, and Eastern Cape Education MEC Fundile Gade.

Mbalula and Malema faced additional charges of violating the Cybercrime and Intimidation Acts.

Barry Bateman, the unit’s Spokesperson, said the politicians’ comments unjustly violated a man’s dignity by accusing him of a heinous crimes.

“Pieterse was publicly labelled a paedophile, a label that in society’s eyes is among the most irredeemable and damning,” Bateman said.

“AfriForum’s legal team will pursue individuals who attempted to destroy Pieterse’s life and spread lies about AfriForum.”

On Sunday, 9 August 2026, Kriel revealed that Malema is now criminally prosecuted for crimen injuria after AfriForum helped file the charge.

“Gerrie Nel and his team at AfriForum’s private prosecutions unit helped to ensure that justice is done for the Eastern Cape school principal, Jaco Pieterse,” he said.

“AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit has succeeded in convincing the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) that Malema should be prosecuted for crimen injuria.”

He added that Malema was the first of those who defamed Pieterse to be criminally charged in this case for crimen injuria.

“We will ensure that others who also falsely accused Pieterse, such as Fikile Mbalula, follow suit,” he said.

“Civil defamation cases against, among others, Phumzile van Damme and others who falsely accused Pieterse will also follow.”

Firearm case against Julius Malema

This crimen injuria case against Malema followed another case brought against him by AfriForum for violating the Firearms Control Act.

In July 2018, Julius Malema fired an automatic weapon at the Economic Freedom Fighters’ (EFF) 5th-anniversary rally at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane.

The footage showed Malema receiving a semi-automatic rifle on stage and firing between 14 and 15 shots into the air in front of a crowd.

AfriForum laid criminal charges against Malema in August 2018 at a police station under the Firearms Control Act.

After multiple postponements, the trial officially commenced with the calling of witnesses and presentation of evidence in March 2022.

Malema’s legal team argued that his actions were merely a celebratory gesture using a toy gun firing blank cartridges rather than a real firearm with live ammunition.

The prosecution called 19 witnesses who debunked this version of events and asked for Malema to face punishment for his actions.

Magistrate Twanet Olivier rejected Malema’s toy-gun defence and convicted him on five separate counts under the Firearms Control Act.

These include Unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and discharging a firearm in a built-up area or public place.

He was also found guilty of failure to take reasonable precautions to avoid danger to person or property and reckless endangerment of the public.

On 16 April 2026, Olivier handed down a 5-year effective direct prison sentence to Malema, with fines of R60,000.

Immediately after the sentence was delivered, Malema’s legal team applied for leave to appeal the five-year sentence. The magistrate granted the request.

Because the appeal is pending, Malema was released on a warning and will not go to jail while the matter is being processed.