Mpumalanga police deployed rubber bullets, teargas, and stun grenades on Thursday to disperse Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) supporters attempting to block the N4 highway in Mbombela, shortly after party leader Julius Malema received a five-year prison sentence for unlawfully discharging a firearm in public.
The clashes erupted as angry EFF members tried to shut down sections of the busy N4 route, including areas near the Courtside and the Mpumalanga High Court, bringing traffic to a standstill in protest against the sentencing handed down in KuGompo City (formerly East London). Freelance journalist Mandla Khoza captured video footage of the confrontation, which showed police using public order policing tactics to clear the road.
Malema was sentenced on April 16, 2026, following his conviction last October on multiple firearm-related charges stemming from the EFF’s fifth-anniversary rally in 2018 at Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane. He fired live rounds from a rifle into the air in front of a large crowd. The court imposed five years’ direct imprisonment for unlawful possession of a firearm, alongside additional sentences (including two years for unlawful possession of ammunition and fines for other counts such as discharging a firearm in a built-up area and reckless endangerment), running concurrently for an effective five-year term.
The EFF has described the sentence as harsh and politically motivated, with supporters expressing outrage and vowing to stand by their leader. Malema’s legal team was granted leave to appeal the sentence (though the conviction appeal was dismissed in some reports), meaning he remains free pending further proceedings. A successful final appeal could affect his eligibility to serve as a lawmaker.
No serious injuries were immediately reported from the Mbombela protest, but the incident highlights ongoing tensions surrounding the high-profile case. Police maintained a visible presence to restore order on the N4.
The sentencing and subsequent protests have drawn widespread attention, with reactions ranging from support for accountability under the Firearms Control Act to criticism of the punishment’s severity.