Julius Malema Expresses Outrage After Being Denied UK Visa Ahead of Cambridge Speech
EFF leader Julius Malema has expressed outrage after being denied a visa to the United Kingdom, where he was scheduled to deliver a keynote address at the 11th Annual Cambridge Africa Together Conference.
Julius Malema was invited by the African Society of Cambridge University, but just hours before his flight, he received a notification denying him entry into the UK.
“The British authorities have denied me a visa to London for the Cambridge Conference this weekend, providing no substantial justification. It is clear to me that this is an attempt to silence a dissenting political perspective. This is unacceptable and spineless,” Julius Malema.
He said the letter arrived four hours before his departure from OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.
EFF Slams the Decision as Political Suppression
The Economic Freedom Fighters condemned the decision, framing it as a targeted attempt to suppress political opposition to Western imperialism.
“This is nothing more than an expression of bureaucratic process being used to suppress political dissent. It’s a ban on the voices of the EFF from building global solidarity against Western imperialism,” said EFF spokesperson Sinawo Thambo.
Colonialism, Reparations, and Palestine: The Broader Context
The EFF connected the visa denial to Malema’s outspoken criticism of British foreign policy and colonial legacy. Thambo argued that the decision reflects the UK’s discomfort with the EFF’s strong stance on issues such as reparations, Palestine, and British involvement in historical atrocities.
“The EFF is well aware that this is a reflection of the attitude of imperialism against the CIC and the party. Malema has been a critical voice against the UK for its role in colonial crimes, the monarchy’s involvement in slavery, and continued support of Israel,” Thambo added.
He further cited Malema’s past condemnation of former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and the monarchy following Queen Elizabeth II’s death as likely contributing factors.
EFF Doubles Down on Anti-Imperialist Stance
Reaffirming its position, the EFF stood by its prior controversial statements about the British monarchy and maintained that the UK still owes reparations for colonial injustices.
“The banning of the president of the EFF is a reflection of the continued control of the political process in the UK by the British monarchy. We remind the UK that their monarchy still owes the world a huge debt for the crimes committed against humanity through colonialism,” the party said.