Kallie Kriel applauds UK’s Visa denial to Julius Malema
AfriForum CEO Kallie Kriel has hailed the United Kingdom’s decision to deny EFF leader Julius Malema a visa as “great news,” calling it the first step toward broader international accountability. The visa rejection, confirmed on May 7, 2025, prevented Malema from attending the Cambridge Africa Together Conference, where he was scheduled to speak.
Kriel attributed the UK’s move to Malema’s continued use of the polarizing “Kill the Boer” chant, which AfriForum argues incites violence against Afrikaners and South African farmers. Slamming South African courts for their inaction and President Cyril Ramaphosa for what he views as silence on the matter, Kriel said foreign intervention is now necessary to hold Malema to account.
Malema, in turn, condemned the decision as an attack on his political freedoms, calling the visa denial “unacceptable and spineless.” The EFF framed the move as blatant political censorship intended to stifle dissenting views.
British High Commissioner to South Africa, Antony Phillipson, offered an explanation, stating that the visa was not processed in time due to procedural delays and UK bank holidays, though he stopped short of confirming whether political concerns influenced the outcome.
The incident has deepened national debate. Supporters of AfriForum view the UK’s decision as justified pushback against hate speech, while critics accuse the group of fanning racial tensions and exploiting historical pain for political gain. At the heart of the controversy lie unresolved questions about freedom of expression, the legacy of struggle songs, and the limits of political accountability in democratic societies.