Julius Malema, the leader of South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), has been denied a visa to attend a conference in the United Kingdom, a decision he deems a politically motivated attempt to silence opposition voices.
Malema, a prominent critic of Western imperialism and a proponent of land nationalization in South Africa, was set to speak at the University of Cambridge’s Africa Together Conference on May 10. The conference, organized by the university’s African Society, would have offered Malema a platform to address key issues facing Africa. However, his visa application was not processed in time for the event.
According to a leaked letter from UK High Commissioner Antony Phillipson to EFF official Godrich Gardee, the Home Office was unable to finalize Malema’s visa application before the scheduled trip. Phillipson attributed the delay to the time-consuming procedures required for visa processing and the timing of recent UK public holidays, including one on May 5. The UK High Commission’s letter also offered a personal apology from Phillipson, acknowledging the disappointment caused by the missed opportunity and confirming that the application fees would be refunded.
Malema, however, expressed frustration with the situation. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he criticized the UK authorities for deliberately delaying the visa approval process to prevent him from attending the event. The EFF also claimed that the delay was intentional, preventing Malema from addressing the conference as planned.
The Home Office spokesperson declined to comment on the specifics of Malema’s case, maintaining a general policy of not discussing individual visa applications. Despite this, the situation has sparked controversy, with critics accusing the UK of blocking a political figure whose views challenge Western narratives, especially regarding the economic and political landscape in Africa.
Malema’s exclusion from the Cambridge event underscores the tensions surrounding his outspoken views on issues such as economic freedom and the redistribution of land in South Africa, positions that have drawn both support and criticism in equal measure.