Johannesburg – South Africa’s firebrand opposition leader, Julius Malema leader of Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has described his denial of a United Kingdom visitor’s visa as “unacceptable and spineless.”
Malema and his EFF team were set to attend a conference in Cambridge on May 8.
”The British authorities have denied me a visa to London for the Cambridge Conference this weekend, providing no substantial justification. It is clear to me that this is an attempt to silence a dissenting political perspective,” Malema said.
”We received a regret letter just four hours before our departure. This is unacceptable and spineless.”
Western countries such as the UK and the United States have denied visas to Africans who wish to visit on business.
The Western countries do not provide any reasons for visa denials.
Malema is a staunch critic Western imperialism and his denial of visa by the UK government has been insinuated to mean that London was not prepared to have an African opposition leader and critic speak at a conference in Cambridge.