UK denies EFF’s Julius Malema visa due to public safety
Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has reportedly been denied entry into the United Kingdom, with authorities citing concerns over his conduct and controversial public statements.
The rejection, detailed in a report by News24, stems from what the UK Home Office described as behavior “not conducive to the public good.”
The decision appears to be rooted in multiple incidents, including Malema’s vocal support for the Palestinian group Hamas, classified as a banned organisation in the UK, as well as past inflammatory rhetoric that British authorities believe could pose a risk to public order.
According to the visa refusal letter, “Taking the above into account, your presence in the UK has been assessed as non-conducive to the public good on the grounds of your conduct, character and associations, which makes it undesirable to grant you entry to the UK.”
The letter also reportedly cited Malema’s refusal in a 2022 South African Equality Court case to refrain from repeating controversial slogans, including calls for violence against white people.
His public chanting of slogans such as “cut the throat of whiteness” and singing the struggle song “Kill the Boer, kill the farmer” were also mentioned in connection with his visa denial.
Malema, 44, has often sparked outrage both at home and abroad for his confrontational style and militant rhetoric.
Though once widely influential, his EFF party saw a dip in support in South Africa’s last election, securing only 9.5% of the vote and finishing fourth overall.
His international profile received renewed attention after a 2018 Oval Office meeting where then-U.S. President Donald Trump showed footage of Malema to back false claims of “white genocide” in South Africa.
Trump incorrectly referred to Malema as a government official, attempting to paint his remarks as reflective of official policy.
The UK government has not officially commented in detail, but a British official confirmed the authenticity of the visa refusal to AFP under condition of anonymity.
Malema has not publicly responded to the visa rejection at the time of writing.
