Saralnama
South African politician Julius Malema was convicted on gun charges on Wednesday. This came a month after he was found guilty of hate speech. The gun charge relates to a 2018 rally where he fired a gun into the air. Malema faces up to 15 years in prison and will be sentenced in January. His party claims the verdict is influenced by political pressure, including from former US President Donald Trump. Trump had accused Malema of promoting violence against white South Africans and played a video of Malema leading a controversial chant. South Africa’s National Prosecuting Authority denied foreign influence and said it follows the law. The country’s president, Cyril Ramaphosa, said Malema’s views do not represent the government. The case highlights tensions between South Africa and the US over racial and political issues. (Updated 2 Oct 2025, 04:59 IST; source: link)