IN PICS | Durban anti-illegal immigration protests turn violent as vehicles and houses torched

Violent protests over asylum applications disrupted parts of Durban on Thursday, October 8. Vehicles were torched and shops looted, prompting police to deploy public-order units.

The protests turned violent as protesters allegedly attacked foreign nationals, accusing them of possessing firearms, at the intersection of Anton Lembede and Dr Yusuf Dadoo Streets in Durban. Police intervened and rescued one individual.

KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli requested the deployment of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to help quell the violence. According to SABC News, Ntuli stated that law enforcement agencies have been reinforced, but more police have been deployed in the province, including some from outside, to assist in restoring law and order.

Brief written by urgent.news from IOL, SABC News — 2 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.