Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema will spend much of his 41st birthday in the East London Regional Court as his legal team fights several criminal charges he faces relating to the Firearms Control Act.

Malema finds himself on the wrong side of the law after allegedly firing a semiautomatic rifle in front of a crowd attending the EFF's fifth birthday celebrations at Sisa Dukashe Stadium on 28 July 2018.

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

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

Snyman is accused of handing the weapon to Malema.

Malema and Snyman both pleaded not guilty.

Attempting to punch holes in State's case, Malema's legal team on Wednesday alleged that the rifle the EFF leader seemingly fired in front of a cheering crowd in Mdantsane four years ago was not a real gun, and that an empty shell picked up after the event and handed to the police, could have been placed there months before the event in question.

Malema and his top generals, including deputy president Floyd Shivambu, secretary-general Marshall Dlamini and their bodyguards are all staying in East London for the week to attend the trial.

The trial was briefly delayed on Thursday as security guards conducted body checks on court attendees.