The UK Home Office has officially denied entry to Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema, marking his second UK visa refusal in less than two months.
In a letter dated June 17, 2025, the UK Home Office said the reason for entry ban is because of his support for Hamas and long‑standing inflammatory rhetoric – including threats of racial violence – as the reasons his presence was deemed “not conducive to the public good.”
This follows the earlier visa denial in early May. That refusal resulted from administrative issues, including late submission and holiday delays, rather than content concerns, as admitted by UK officials at the time.
Past comments such as calls to “slaughter white people” and “take up arms” were cited as evidence of incendiary and extremist views.
The letter warns that future visa requests “are unlikely to succeed unless” Malema’s public stance changes.
Malema publicly pledged that, should the EFF come to power, they would “arm Hamas.”
EFF’S Reaction
The EFF has strongly condemned the UK’s decision to deny a visa to their leader, Julius Malema, calling it a politically motivated move rooted in imperialist fear. The party claims the visa ban is punishment for Malema’s vocal support for Palestine and criticism of Israel, accusing the UK of suppressing revolutionary voices that challenge global injustice.
The EFF also rejected the UK’s interpretation of the chant “Kill the Boer, Kill the Farmer,” emphasizing that South African courts have ruled it as symbolic and not incitement to violence. The statement ends with a defiant message: “From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will Be Free!”
