UK apologises to Malema over visa denial

THE British High Commission in South Africa has issued an official apology following the UK Home Office's failure to process Julius Malema’s visa application.

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The EFF leader was due to travel to the UK for his scheduled address at the Africa Together Conference at Cambridge University this weekend.

Responding to the fallout, British High Commissioner to South Africa Antony Phillipson apologised in a formal letter, attributing the failure to delays caused by “the necessary steps required to consider visa applications and the unfortunate timing of some recent UK bank holidays”.

“I have been following the processing of the necessary visa for Mr Malema and am writing to personally apologise,” Phillipson said in the letter.

“I recognise that this will be deeply disappointing, especially as the delegation applied in advance and some paid for priority service.

“I am afraid, though, that I have no means of intervening in the decision-making process itself, which is solely a matter for the Home Office.”