Gareth Cliff Advises Julius Malema on Strengthening Appeal Against Prison Sentence
Veteran broadcaster Gareth Cliff has advised EFF leader Julius Malema on ways to enhance his appeal against a five-year prison sentence. On 16 April 2026, Thursday, Magistrate Twanet Olivier handed down Malema a five-year imprisonment after his 2025 conviction for shooting a rifle in the air at a party rally.
Malema was, however, permitted to go home since he was given the leave to appeal against sentence of unlawful possession of a firearm. Cliff has commented on the matter by appealing to the politician to adopt a more tactical approach in order to get the ruling changed.
Gareth Cliff Warns Malema Over Appeal Strategy
Gareth Cliff is set to comment on Julius Malema’s appeal. He even warned Malema that his public proclamations might be detrimental to his defense in court. The ex-Idols SA judge, during the recording of a video for The Truth Report YouTube channel aired on April 20, 2026, shared his disapproval of the EFF leader’s reaction on Magistrate Twanet Olivier whom he had just sentenced to five years and whom Malema insulted.
Cliff explained that some people who normally defend the judiciary in other cases were silent when Malema, moreover, made personal remarks about the magistrate. That is why he said, in his opinion, the behavior might be disadvantageous not only morally but also legally, jealousy refused to speak with salt as it got into the eye.
He ended by warning that, if Malema continued to publicly criticize the judiciary, this would only serve to weaken his appeal. He suggested that Malema goes for a calm and conciliatory approach to the situation as the legal proceedings unfold.
Gareth Cliff Warns Malema That Resorting to Rhetoric Won’t Help His Court Case
Renowned television personality Gareth Cliff has cautioned EFF Leader Julius Malema on the fact that speaking like a politician and attacking the courts will not be conducive to his legal case in any way. While emphasizing the necessity of judicial integrity, Cliff said South African courts do not take political language but focus on objective facts like “who, when, where, what, and how”. He also remarked that Malema’s ongoing public attacks on judges might work against him if he wants to have a successful appeal.
Moreover, the monetary aspect of the appeal process is being questioned as well. It is said that Malema will have to spend a lot to be able to go through with his very public legal defense including well-known lawyers such as Thembeka Ngcukaitobi SC and Laurence Hodes SC. This case originates from the incident where he was found guilty of firing a gun into the air at a public meeting in 2018, and he is currently appealing the judgement.
