South Africa withdrew a new asylum-processing directive on Friday, October 9, after anti-migrant protests in Johannesburg and Durban escalated into arson, looting and clashes that required a major police response.
The Department of Home Affairs said the measure, issued to implement a July 7 Constitutional Court ruling, had overwhelmed refugee reception offices within days and placed officials at risk. The court ruling said asylum seekers could not be denied access to the asylum system solely because they entered South Africa illegally or failed to meet certain procedural requirements. Officials stressed that the ruling did not automatically give undocumented migrants refugee status, permanent residence or other legal rights.
However, misinformation about the policy helped fuel anger among anti-immigrant groups and local residents. Police said 14 vehicles were torched in Durban and 10 more in Soweto, a Johannesburg township, while foreign-owned shops were looted. Authorities reported that conditions had stabilised by Friday, after police reinforcements were deployed and, in Durban, officers used force to disperse crowds.
Home Affairs said it would develop a new plan for complying with the court order, leaving the government to balance constitutional asylum protections against intense political and public pressure over immigration.