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Julius Malema
Julius Sello Malema
Julius Sello Malema is a South African opposition politician, founding leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters and its President and Commander-in-Chief. As of 22 August 2026, Parliament listed him as an EFF National Assembly member and a representative on the Judicial Service Commission.
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Profile
About Julius Malema
Profile information current to .
South Africa · Politician · 4 affiliations
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At a glance
- Malema leads the EFF as its President and Commander-in-Chief and is listed as an EFF National List member of the National Assembly.
- He served as ANC Youth League president from 2008 until his 2012 expulsion from the ANC and subsequently became a founding leader of the EFF.
- The EFF describes itself as a radical, Marxist, Leninist and Fanonian movement whose programme includes land expropriation without compensation and nationalisation of strategic sectors.
- His recent legal record includes a 2025 Equality Court hate-speech determination and a five-year direct-imprisonment sentence imposed in April 2026 in a firearm-related case, with an appeal against sentence then pending.
Party and parliamentary leadership
Malema is the founding leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters and is listed by the party as its President and Commander-in-Chief. As of 22 August 2026, Parliament listed him as an EFF National List member of the National Assembly and as a representative on the Judicial Service Commission.
From youth politics to the EFF
South African History Online records that Malema entered ANC-linked political organizing as a child and later held leadership positions in the ANC Youth League and the Congress of South African Students. He became COSAS national president in 2001 and ANC Youth League president in April 2008. The ANC expelled him in February 2012 following disciplinary proceedings, and he subsequently became a founding leader of the EFF, initially identified as its Commander-in-Chief and National Convenor.
Political programme
The EFF describes its political orientation as radical, Marxist, Leninist and Fanonian. Its published programme advocates measures including land expropriation without compensation and nationalisation of mines, banks and other strategic sectors.
Education
In September 2017, the University of South Africa announced that Malema was scheduled to graduate with a BA Honours degree in Philosophy. The university also reported that he had completed a junior degree in March 2016 and held a Unisa diploma in youth development.
Legal matters
On 27 August 2025, the Western Cape Equality Court held that specified statements Malema made at an EFF provincial assembly in 2022 constituted hate speech under the Equality Act; this was a civil statutory determination, not a criminal conviction. In April 2026, the KuGompo Regional Court sentenced him to five years' direct imprisonment for unlawful possession of a firearm, with concurrent sentences and fines on related counts. The National Prosecuting Authority reported on 21 April 2026 that leave to appeal the conviction had been denied, leave to appeal the sentence had been granted, and Malema remained out on warning pending that appeal; the reviewed material does not establish a final appellate outcome by 22 August 2026.
Affiliations
- Economic Freedom Fighters President and Commander-in-Chief present
- Parliament of South Africa National Assembly member for the Economic Freedom Fighters National List; representative on the Judicial Service Commission present
- African National Congress Youth League President 2008-04–2012-02
- Congress of South African Students National President 2001
Timeline
- Born in Seshego, Limpopo.
- Elected national president of the Congress of South African Students.
- Elected president of the ANC Youth League.
- Expelled from the African National Congress following an unsuccessful appeal against suspension.
- An EFF National Assembly convened in Soweto and formally launched the organization as a political party, with Malema identified as its initial Commander-in-Chief and National Convenor.
- Unisa announced that Malema was scheduled to graduate with a BA Honours degree in Philosophy.
- The Equality Court found that specified statements made by Malema in 2022 constituted hate speech under the Equality Act.
- The National Prosecuting Authority announced that Malema had received a five-year direct-imprisonment sentence arising from firearm-related convictions connected to a 2018 EFF rally.
Additional verified details
Current context
- The EFF lists Malema as its President and Commander-in-Chief.
- Parliament lists Malema as an EFF National List member of the National Assembly and a representative on the Judicial Service Commission.
- The National Prosecuting Authority reported that the trial court denied Malema leave to appeal his conviction, granted leave to appeal his sentence and left him out on warning pending finalisation of the sentence appeal. This was the status reported by the National Prosecuting Authority on 21 April 2026; the reviewed material does not establish a final appellate outcome as of 22 August 2026.
Biographical facts
- Malema was born on 3 March 1981 in Seshego, Limpopo, South Africa.
- South African History Online records that Malema joined the ANC-linked Masupatsela movement at age nine and later held ANC Youth League branch and regional positions.
- He chaired the Congress of South African Students in Limpopo in 1997 and became its national president in 2001.
- Malema was elected president of the African National Congress Youth League in April 2008.
- He was expelled from the African National Congress in February 2012 after an appeal against a five-year suspension resulted in expulsion.
- Malema was a founding leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters and was identified as its initial Commander-in-Chief and National Convenor.
- The University of South Africa reported in 2017 that Malema held a diploma in youth development, had completed a junior degree in March 2016 and was scheduled to graduate with a BA Honours degree in Philosophy.
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