Leader of South Africa's Economic Freedom Fighters party Julius Malema has announced that the EFF will not mourn Queen Elizabeth II.
In a statement released on Friday, Malema said the death of the English monarch serves as a reminder of the colonization period.
"We do not mourn the death of Elizabeth, because to us her death is a reminder of a very tragic period in this country and Africa's history," he said.
Malema recalled how the Royal Family "dehumanized" millions of people across the world.
"Britain, under the leadership of the royal family, took over control of this territory that would become South Africa in 1795 from Batavian control, and took permanent control of the territory in 1806," the activist recalled.
"From that moment onwards, native people of this land have never known peace, nor have they ever enjoyed the fruits of the riches of this land, which were and still are utilized for the enrichment of the British royal family and who look like them."
The vocal politician further claimed the British "tortured" those who tried to resist their rule.
Malema added that it was the British royal family who sanctioned the actions of Cecil John Rhodes in Zimbabwe and Zambia.
"It was the British royal family that benefitted from the brutal mutilation of people of Kenya whose valiant resistance to British colonialism invited vile responses from Britain," he said.
He added, "In Kenya, Britain built concentration camps and suppressed with such inhumane brutality the Mau Mau rebellion, killing Dedan Kimathi on February 18, 1957, while Elizabeth was already Queen."
Malema faulted the late Queen for not acknowledging the brutalities that the royal family committed.
"Elizabeth Windsor, during her lifetime, never acknowledged these crimes that Britain and her family in particular perpetrated across the world."
He added, "She willingly benefited from the wealth that was attained from the exploitation and murder of millions of people across the world."
Malema reiterated that the British royal family benefits from the millions of slaves who were shipped away from the continent to serve the interests of "racist white capital accumulation".
