South African opposition leader Julius Malema was sentenced ‌to five years in jail on Thursday for firing a rifle in the air at a rally, a judgement that could bar the prominent campaigner from parliament.

The 45-year-old stayed in court in KuGompo City as magistrates ​considered whether to accept an appeal against the sentence. It was not immediately ​clear if that process would delay his transfer to prison.

Malema, head of ⁠the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters, the fourth-biggest party in parliament, was convicted last year on five ​charges after firing the gun at a stadium in the Eastern Cape province in 2018.

“It is clear that ​if crimes are allowed to go unchecked and unpunished, it poses a serious threat to our democratic state,” magistrate Twanet Olivier said before delivering the sentence.

The court sentenced Malema to five years in prison ​for unlawful possession of a firearm and two years for unlawful possession of ammunition.

It gave ​him fines for the other three offences, including discharging a firearm in a built-up area with prison ‌time ⁠if he doesn’t pay. The sentences will run at the same time.

According to South Africa’s constitution, a prison sentence of 12 months or more, if confirmed after all appeals, would bar Malema from serving as a lawmaker.

That would be a major setback for his party, ​which has strong support ​among young South ⁠Africans frustrated by the racial inequality that has persisted since the end of white minority rule in 1994.

The Economic Freedom Fighters advocate ​nationalising mines and seizing land from white farmers.

The state prosecutor had ​told the court ⁠on Thursday it would set a bad precedent if Malema got off without jail time and urged the magistrate to impose the maximum possible sentence of 15 years.

Malema’s lawyers had argued ⁠he ​did not intend to cause any harm by firing ​the gun in a celebratory gesture and called for a more lenient sentence, such as a fine.

Malema’s lawyer immediately appealed against the decision to prevent the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters and member of parliament from being taken to prison.

Malema has a long reputation as being an outspoken, charismatic and radical left-wing politician and has a loyal band of supporters. Hundreds gathered outside the court, backing Malema with chants and singing revolutionary songs.

Malema was once the leader of the youth wing of the governing African National Congress. But after being expelled from the party, following a falling-out with then President Jacob Zuma, he went on to form the EFF.

With Malema’s calls for the seizure of white-owned land and arguments that more should be done to transfer wealth to the black majority, the EFF ate away at the ANC share of the vote. It became the country’s fourth largest party at the 2024 elections.