The UK has confirmed denying EFF leader Julius Malema a visa due to his support for Hamas and Hezbollah.
The UK Home Office stated in a letter that Malema’s presence in the country is not conducive to the public good.
This comes after Malema had applied for a visa to speak at Cambridge University’s Annual Africa Together Conference themed “The Making of Africa’s Future Presidents” in May.
Malema found himself stranded at the OR Tambo International Airport, only to discover at the last moment that his visa application had failed.
Support for Hamas and Hezbollah
“Under the Terrorism Act 2000, the home secretary may prescribe an organisation if they believe it is concerned with terrorism and it is proportionate to do so,” reads the letter in part.
“Prescription makes it a criminal offence to, among other things, invite support for a proscribed organisation or express an opinion or belief that it is supportive of a proscribed organisation.
“I note that Hamas’ proscription was extended in November 2021 and that the UK government states that Hamas commits and participates in terrorism.
“I further note that Hezbollah was proscribed in March 2019 and that the group in its entirety is assessed to be concerned in terrorism.”
The UK government says that Hezbollah is dedicated to fighting against the state of Israel using weapons and that it also supports terrorist acts in Iraq and the Palestinian areas.
The refusal letter also refers to Malema’s statement, where he claimed that the EFF would arm Hamas should it win the 2024 elections and emphasised that Hamas had done nothing wrong.
Slaughter of white people
The letter also says that the EFF wrote online that the Palestinian people have every right to use weapons against apartheid Israel and supported the armed struggle of both Hamas and Hezbollah.
“Additionally, I note that you have made statements calling for the slaughter of white people or hinted that it could be an acceptable option in the future.
“In 2016, you said that your political party was ‘not calling for the slaughter of white people, at least for now.
“In February 2022, you appeared at the South African Equality Court after previously calling for the slaughter of white people.
“During this appearance, the presiding judge requested that you never repeat such words in the future,” reads the letter.
In response, Malema declared that he is not a prophet and cannot guarantee the future.
UK authorities cited these statements as justifying the refusal under Paragraph 9.3.1 of their Immigration Rules, which allows entry to be denied if a person’s presence is considered a threat due to conduct, character, or association.
The letter also highlights that Malema has not distanced himself from these views, and his presence could cause community tensions or engage in unacceptable behaviour in the UK.
Malema, according to the UK Home Office, has no right to appeal the decision, and any future visa applications are likely to be refused unless there are significant changes in his personal circumstances or new evidence is provided.
Politically motivated ban
In response to the letter, EFF spokesperson Sinawo Thambo accused the UK of issuing what he referred to as a politically motivated ban.
Thambo rejected claims that Malema incites violence.
He said South Africa’s courts had ruled that Malema’s remarks do not constitute incitement to genocide and accused the UK of distorting the record.
Thambo also criticised the UK for confusing a judge’s ruling with a lawyer’s question during the Equality Court proceedings.
“For a nation that preaches its commitment to democracy, the UK has revealed itself as an intolerant bully that seeks to impose its beliefs on the world without a challenge, while denying democratically elected leaders of other nations the opportunity to express themselves in their countries,” said Thambo.
“The distortion by the UK of the commander-in-chief’s principled view that the genuine frustrations of Africans who are excluded at the behest of a white minority may lead to social violence and resistance is sickening and must be characterised as an insult to our judiciary by a foreign nation,” he added.
Thambo emphasised that the EFF will continue to support those they believe are oppressed, especially the Palestinian people, and that the UK may keep its visa.
