JOHANNESBURG, South Africa — A controversial South African politician, Julius Malema, central to a heated debate over race relations in his country, has been denied entry to the United Kingdom (UK) for a second time.
The UK Home Office stated that Malema’s presence was deemed “non-conducive to the public good” and that granting him entry was “undesirable.”
In a letter published by the local media outlet News24, the UK government cited his vocal support for Hamas as a primary reason for the rejection. This included a speech Malema delivered following the October 7 attacks, where he explicitly stated that his own party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), would arm the group if it came into power.
The UK’s decision also referenced Malema’s past threats to call for the “slaughter of white people” and to “take up arms.”
Also Read: Ramaphosa defends controversial ‘kill the boer, kill the farmer’ chant amid Trump’s white genocide claims
Malema’s EFF party, which secured fourth place in South Africa’s parliamentary election last year, condemned the UK’s decision as an act of “cowardice,” arguing that it would stifle democratic debate.
This incident follows a recent appearance by Malema in a video played last month by President Donald Trump during South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s visit to the White House.
This marks the second time in just two months that Malema has been denied entry to the UK.
While the previous rejection was attributed to a late application submission, a British official in South Africa informed the Vivid Voice News that this latest denial was a “substantive decision.”
According to News24, the UK has indicated that Malema has no right of appeal and is likely to face similar denials for any future visa applications.
