Violent protests over South Africa’s asylum system have erupted in parts of the country, with at least 24 vehicles torched and shops looted as tensions over immigration and the treatment of foreign nationals continue to rise.
The unrest was reported in Soweto, Johannesburg, and Durban on Thursday, following protests against a Constitutional Court ruling that removed certain procedural barriers preventing people from accessing South Africa’s asylum application system.
In Soweto, police reported that vehicles were set alight during clashes between local residents and foreign nationals. Johannesburg Metro Police spokesperson Xolani Fihla said the violence occurred near a Home Affairs office in Orlando West.
According to police, reports of gunfire directed at protesters contributed to the escalation in Soweto, although authorities did not identify who allegedly fired the shots or who owned the vehicles that were burned. Roads in the affected area were closed as police remained deployed to monitor the situation.
In Durban, authorities reported another 14 vehicles had been torched, while shops owned by foreign nationals were reportedly looted. Three foreign nationals were arrested in KwaZulu-Natal in connection with the unrest, according to Acting National Police Commissioner Lt. Gen. Puleng Dimpane.
Court Ruling Sparks Anger
The protests followed a Constitutional Court ruling that expanded access to the asylum application process by removing procedural barriers that had prevented some people from having their claims considered.
The ruling affects people who may have entered South Africa irregularly, lacked certain asylum-related documentation or failed to meet specific reporting requirements. Under the decision, such procedural issues cannot automatically prevent a person from accessing the asylum system before their claim is assessed.
However, South African authorities have stressed that the ruling does not automatically grant refugee status or permanent residence to everyone seeking asylum.
The government’s Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration acknowledged that refugee reception offices had become overwhelmed by the number of people seeking to submit applications following implementation of the ruling.
Authorities said they would work to increase processing capacity, speed up decisions and strengthen identity checks while continuing to implement the court’s decision.
Police Promise Action Against Violence
South African police have condemned the destruction of property and warned protesters against taking the law into their own hands.
Dimpane said police would investigate the vehicle torchings and pursue those responsible where sufficient evidence is available. She also emphasized that concerns about immigration and the asylum system must be addressed through lawful and constitutional processes rather than violence.
The latest unrest comes against a backdrop of longstanding tensions surrounding immigration in South Africa, where foreign nationals have sometimes faced hostility over accusations relating to employment, business opportunities and access to public resources.
Government officials have urged communities to remain calm as authorities work to manage the implementation of the asylum ruling and prevent further violence.
The developments in Soweto and Durban have once again placed South Africa’s immigration and asylum policies at the centre of a national debate, while authorities face the challenge of protecting both citizens and foreign nationals as tensions continue.
Topic: South Africa asylum ruling protests, anti-immigrant protests in South Africa, vehicles torched in Soweto and Durban
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