Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema and his co-accused Adriaan Snyman have pleaded not guilty to all charges relating to an incident in July 2018 when a firearm was discharged at the EFF's birthday celebrations.

The incident happened at Mdantsane's Sisa Dukashe Stadium in East London.

Malema faces charges of unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition, and three counts of contravening the Firearms Control Act.

Snyman faces one count of contravening the Firearms Control Act and failure to take reasonable precautions to avoid danger to a person's property.

The charges stem from a video showing Malema allegedly firing what appeared to be an automatic assault rifle during the EFF's fifth birthday celebrations.

On Tuesday, Malema and Snyman told Magistrate Twannet Olivier they were not guilty of the charges.

The State called its first witness, retired visible policing unit commander Colonel Ngamlana Nkwali.

Nkwali told the court he opened a docket after the station commander Brigadier Clive Nkopo showed him the video on 2 August 2018.

Nkwali, who commanded a team of police officers who oversaw safety and security at the event, said he never saw Malema firing the rifle on that day.

He added that none of his officers informed him of the incident.

Nkwali said he only observed fireworks behind the podium.

He said he was 150 metres from the podium where Malema had allegedly fired the rifle.

Nkwali said no major incidents were observed on the day of the event, except for an incident when excited spectators stormed the pitch and rushed to the podium while struggle songs were sung on stage.

He also revealed that police officers had picked up an empty cartridge after the event.

Nkwali told the court that the EFF organising team – led by Eastern Cape chairperson Yazini Tetyana, and later secretary-general Marshall Dlamini – was well-organised.

"The organisers looked like people who knew what they were doing, and we (the police) allowed them to do as they pleased," said Nkwali.

Nkwali, who retired in 2020 after 37 years in the police, said Malema had fired a rifle in the video that Nkopo had showed him.

He added that the rifle fired by Malema normally had 35 rounds.

Nkwali, who was being led by state advocate Joel Cesar, told the court he did not know the "white guy" who appeared to have handed Malema the rifle.

Pointing at Snyman in the accused box, Nkwali said he had not seen him before.

Nkwali said in his two meetings with the EFF before the event, he was never told that the event would also feature live ammunition being fired.

"We expected the close protectors (bodyguards) of politicians to carry pistols on their waists. That is the norm and standard," he added.

He said police ensured that members of the public did not enter the stadium with weapons.

The trial continues.