Julius Malema and his former bodyguard Adriaan Snyman
Image: FILE
Adriaan Snyman, the former bodyguard of Julius Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), is suing the state for R20 million in damages after being acquitted of charges brought against him.
The case stems from July 2018, when Malema discharged a rifle into the air during the party’s fifth birthday celebrations at Sisa Dukashe Stadium.
A video of the incident went viral, showing Malema firing 15 shots with a handgun, followed by seven shots with a rifle. He then joined delegates on stage and was no longer in possession of the rifle.
Snyman appears in the footage approaching Malema shortly after the shots were fired. Snyman was also charged in connection with the incident but was acquitted in October 2025.
Malema and Snyman were arraigned on the following charges:
Speaking to the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), Snyman’s spokesperson, Kirsten McLeod, said it was clear the State had dropped the charges because there was no evidence against him.
She added that they were still awaiting a response from the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the South African Police Service (SAPS) regarding a written demand for payment of more than R20 million.
“This is a result of a malicious prosecution claim. The 30-day period we gave the NPA and SAPS to respond has now expired. We will be instituting legal action shortly, and if they fail to respond, we will apply for default judgment,” she said.
Meanwhile, Malema’s sentencing hearing at the Magistrate’s Court in KuGompo City has been postponed to Thursday morning following a full day of final arguments on Wednesday. The State is pushing for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison. If he is sentenced to more than 12 months’ imprisonment without the option of a fine, Malema will lose his seat in Parliament.
sinenhlanhla.masilela@iol.co.za
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