- The legal team of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and Julius Malema have accused advocate Joel Caesar of misconduct
- Advocate Cesar was the prosecutor in the EFF leader's firearm case, but the party believes he interfered with the administration of justice
- South Africans took to social media to share various reactions to the party's stance, with some agreeing with the decision taken by the party
Source: Getty Images
Byron Pillay, A news in brief Journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political scene, crime and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
Eastern Cape – legal representative of economic freedom Fighters (EFF) and Julius Malema have filed a formal complaint against advocate Joel Cesar.
Cesar was the prosecutor in the case against the EFF leader, who was found guilty of five charges related to the Firearms Control Act (Act 60 of 2000). Commander-in-Chief of the Red Berets sentenced to five years' imprisonment And imposed a fine of Rs 60,000.
His legal team has since permission to appeal Punishment, but not conviction.
EFF's legal team files complaint against lawyer
Less than a week after being sentenced by an East London magistrate courtThe party's legal team filed a formal complaint against Advocate Caesar with the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP). The party is accusing the advocate of misbehavior in this case.
“Advocate Caesar violated Section 34 of the Criminal Procedure Act by illegally authorizing the return of a firearm before the court order was issued, acted outside the authority and violated his authority as an officer of the court,” a statement from the party said.
It continued, claiming that Advocate Caesar breached the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Act and the NPA's Code of Conduct, raising concerns of prosecutorial overreach, misrepresentation to court and interference with the proper administration of justice.
The magistrate and AfriForum were previously convicted
Although Advocate Caesar is now facing allegations from the party, he is not the only one who has faced criticism.
The magistrate in the case, Twenet Ollivier, and AfriForum (who accused Malema) also faced significant charges during the lengthy proceedings. The EFF accused AfriForum of pursuing a racist agenda against Malema, which the civil rights group strongly denied.
Malema also accused Magistrate Ollivier of being racist and said she may also be a member of AfriForum. His son Ratanang also echoed those sentiments When he addressed supporters outside the court on Thursday, 16 April 2026. Ratanang's address sparked confusion online because he also mentioned Africans and FW de Klerk.
Source: Twitter
South Africans debate EFF's decision
The party's decision drew mixed reactions online, with some agreeing with the statement and others criticizing it.
@BBK29_ said:
“Let's see whether the politically motivated NPA will ignore this clear misconduct, shown by the emails, as evidence that the lawyer gave Snyman his gun back before the verdict on October 1st. This alone violates the code of conduct and also raises questions about how the lawyer knew that Snyman would be acquitted the next day.”
@PaballoMaz90937 said:
“This will not change the verdict. Please console your soul. The conviction stands, and so does the sentence. Lona, you are acting as if you care, but poor Malema can't see it.”
@JohannesKatischi said:
“Gone are the days when they disregard the law. The EFF is here to teach them a lesson.”
@Gadfly342043 noted:
“Premature withdrawal of an exhibit may be an error or something. But indication is not proof. The process should work.”
@fefelamcgokey suggested:
“Very good. After this, we will have to write to the Magistrates Commission about that biased magistrate.”
@rudz_16 said:
“This is what happens when a prosecutor becomes personally invested in a case.”
@MarkTriesta added:
“The Stalingrad Strategy has begun. Julius says he is not afraid of prison.”
@Monyela29Tebogo said:
“They are wasting party resources. Nothing is going to change.”
AfriForum denies allegations of racism
news in brief It was also reported that AfriForum's Jacques Broudrique Malema's allegations rejected That he was racially targeted.
Malema was convicted of five counts under the Firearms Control Act after AfriForum charged him.
Social media users shared mixed reactions to AfriForum's explanation of why it charged Malema for the 2018 incident.
Source: News in Brief