Fresh anti-immigrant violence broke out across major South African urban centers on Thursday, leaving at least 24 vehicles set on fire and several foreign-owned businesses ransacked during clashes in Soweto and Durban.
The violence erupted following demonstrations targeting the nation’s asylum processing system, which rapidly deteriorated into hostile physical standoffs between local residents and foreign nationals.
According to South African police authorities, tension in Durban peaked after allegations circulated that a foreign national assaulted a demonstrator. Security forces subsequently arrested three foreign nationals linked to the alleged incident.
Tensions escalated near a public refugee processing facility in Durban, where protesters gathered to demand an immediate halt to asylum application registrations. Security forces deployed rubber bullets to clear the crowds, forcing commercial establishments across the city center to shutter operations.
Concurrently in Soweto, reports of gunfire emerged as local residents confronted foreign shop owners, compounding fears of widespread civil unrest.
The recent wave of agitation follows a landmark July court ruling that permitted asylum seekers to request state protection regardless of their initial mode of entry into South Africa.
To execute the judgment, the Department of Home Affairs issued an operational framework last month, triggering massive queues at migration hubs nationwide. By Wednesday, the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration confirmed that the country’s five primary refugee offices were completely overwhelmed by application volume.
In response to the growing civil unrest, the Home Affairs Department announced on Friday that it would modify its operational plan to address “unforeseen operational hurdles,” while affirming its commitment to comply with judicial mandates.
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