Cars torched, shops shut as asylum ruling fuels fresh unrest in Soweto and Durban
Cars were set alight and foreign-owned shops targeted in Durban and Soweto amid protests over a Constitutional Court ruling affecting access to South Africa’s asylum system.
Protests and clashes erupted in South Africa’s Soweto and Durban over the country's new asylum ruling, leading to vandalism of foreign-owned businesses. In Soweto, Orlando West residents shut down two spaza shops run by foreigners, while nine vehicles were torched and others vandalized. Gauteng police confirmed confrontations between community members and foreigners, while police remain on high alert.
In Durban, at least seven vehicles were set ablaze as protesters opposed illegal immigration, targeting businesses owned by foreigners. The unrest followed clashes at the Durban Refugee Reception Centre, where hundreds of asylum seekers gathered after being allowed to apply for asylum. One person was arrested for looting, and investigations continue as police intelligence teams work to establish the circumstances surrounding the clashes and reports of gunfire.
KwaZulu-Natal’s tensions have risen since Home Affairs began implementing measures to address the influx of asylum seekers at Home Affairs offices and refugee reception centers. Protesters, including Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma and her supporters, vowed to continue demonstrating until the government finds a solution to the situation.
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