The Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema has reiterated that the gun discharged during the party's birthday celebration in 2018 was a toy. This came out during Malema's cross-examination that took place at the East London Magistrates Court in the Eastern Cape today.

THE CHARGES

Malema and his bodyguard, Adriaan Snyman, are standing trial on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and contravening the Firearms Control Act. Malema is accused of firing the gun during the party's anniversary celebration, and Snyman is accused of handing it over to the politician at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium in Mdantsane in 2018. 

A TOY GUN 

Arguing his innocence in court, Malema told magistrate Twanet Oliver that the gun he used during the event was a toy. "It was a toy my worship. We in the EFF, from time to time, when we celebrate the anniversary of the EFF, there are acts that we put as part of the program to celebrate the party's anniversary," Malema said. "If you look at us in all the songs, we make gestures of a firearm when we sing. If your worship pays attention, on the 10th anniversary of the EFF, at FNB Stadium, there was another act, that act was the stage going up, that's an act, so every anniversary has got different kind of features to excite and to make it nicer for the people who are in attendance," he said. 

NO LIFE WAS ENDANGERED 

Malema further told the court that after the so-called "shooting", the women remained on stage and were still dancing as part of the celebration. "This is not a behavioural pattern of a person whose life is being endangered. I want your worship to also notice, because a view might be taken that, it's just a group of men, they're not scared of anything. There were women on the stage there- look at the reaction of people. I come from a township where crime is very high, when there is a shooting of a gun, we never ask who shot the gun and where it came from, we all go for cover," he testified.