GROUNDUP: Anti-immigrant mob threatens to burn women and children in Pretoria

In Pretoria, anti-immigrant protesters threatened to burn down women and children in immigrant shops on Friday, 9 October. Armed with sticks and sjamboks, the mob gathered outside the Refugee Reception Office in Marabastad and vowed to disrupt services until Home Affairs changed its policy. The police did not intervene, despite reports of water bottles being thrown and immigrants being spat at.

The violence escalated as the crowd moved to Luttig Street, where they forced immigrant shop owners to close their stores. Threats of physical harm and death were made, and reporters were physically assaulted by the protesters. The situation calmed when police arrived to separate the groups. Home Affairs had announced it would reopen asylum applications following a Constitutional Court ruling, leading to long lines at offices across the country.

However, the backlash from xenophobic groups resulted in the government closing the offices. Immigration activists called for a return to online applications to prevent further confrontations between protesters and asylum seekers.