South African opposition leader Julius Malema has criticised the United Kingdom for what he calls a politically motivated denial of his visa application, which prevented him from attending a high-profile conference at the University of Cambridge scheduled for May 10.
Malema, the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), was invited by the university’s African Society to speak at the Africa Together Conference. But just hours before his planned departure, the UK High Commission in South Africa informed his delegation that their visa applications had not been processed in time.
“The UK government has no substantial justification for this delay,” Malema said on X (formerly Twitter), calling the situation an “attempt to silence a dissenting political perspective.” He also accused the British High Commission of deliberately stalling the visa process to prevent his participation.
In a letter addressed to EFF official Godrich Gardee, UK High Commissioner Antony Phillipson apologised, saying the delay was due to “the unfortunate timing of some recent UK Bank Holidays” and the “necessary steps required to consider visa applications.” He added that the Home Office would refund the application fees and acknowledged that the delay would be “deeply disappointing,” especially as some of the applicants had paid for priority service.
Malema, known for his outspoken criticism of Western imperialism and his calls for the nationalisation of white-owned land in South Africa, said the visa issue was “unacceptable and spineless.” He noted that UK officials had previously assured the EFF that “everything would be sorted,” only to issue a regret letter at the last minute.
The BBC reports that it has requested a comment from the UK Home Office but has not received a response.
The visa denial has sparked debate about the UK’s treatment of politically controversial African figures and the implications for freedom of speech and international engagement in academic spaces.
