South Africa Withdraws Asylum Directive Amid Xenophobic Violence

South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has withdrawn a directive allowing asylum applications to be received under revised procedures, following violent anti-immigrant protests in Johannesburg and Durban.

The department announced the withdrawal on Friday, saying the directive had overwhelmed refugee reception offices within days, placed officials at risk and raised concerns about public safety and order.

The directive, issued on September 28, was intended to implement a July 7 Constitutional Court ruling that asylum seekers could not be denied access to the asylum system solely on procedural grounds, including entering the country illegally.

In its statement, the department said the directive had been an operational measure introduced to give effect to the court’s ruling, adding that it would now develop a fresh approach to comply with the judgment.

The withdrawal followed protests on Thursday that turned violent in parts of Johannesburg and Durban, with vehicles set ablaze and foreign-owned shops looted.

At least 24 vehicles were torched across the two cities, including 14 in Durban and 10 in Soweto, according to police figures cited by Reuters and the Associated Press.

The protests were fuelled by opposition to the asylum ruling, with demonstrators demanding the deportation of undocumented foreign nationals. South African authorities said misinformation had contributed to the unrest by wrongly suggesting the judgment automatically granted legal status to undocumented migrants.

The government has clarified that the ruling does not automatically confer refugee status or permanent residence. It requires authorities to allow people seeking asylum access to the application process so their claims can be assessed under the law.

South Africa has experienced repeated anti-immigrant protests, with foreign nationals often blamed for unemployment and crime. Social scientists have said such accusations are not supported by evidence.

The Department of Home Affairs said it would begin a fresh process to determine an operational approach that complies with the Constitutional Court’s order while addressing the challenges that emerged during implementation.