{
  "id": 13038607,
  "title": "Home Affairs withdraws directive on asylum seeker applications",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/home-affairs-withdraws-directive-on-asylum-seeker-applications",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-09T05:41:13.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Citizen",
    "slug": "the-citizen",
    "url": "https://www.citizen.co.za/news/home-affairs-withdraws-directive-on-asylum-seeker-applications/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Director-General of the Department of Home Affairs has revoked the directive issued on September 28th regarding the intake of asylum seeker applications. The Constitutional Court had ruled in July that refugees and asylum seekers must be allowed to access processing centers, regardless of their illegal entry into South Africa. The case involved the Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town challenging the constitutionality of certain provisions of the Refugees Act related to the asylum application process. The court confirmed the Western Cape High Court's decision that these provisions were unconstitutional and invalid. Initially, the department stated it would examine the judgment's implications before deciding on the next course of action. However, the directive sparked nationwide protests, with South Africans expressing their discontent. Clashes occurred in Soweto, where residents clashed with foreign nationals, leading to the burning of foreign vehicles. Social media platforms were filled with criticism of the directive. On Friday, Home Affairs explained that it had issued the directive as a purely operational measure to assist in implementing the court's order, without any political motivation. They denied claims that the decision was politically motivated, stating that the directive originated from a constitutional court case that the department had opposed. The department acknowledged that the attempt to immediately implement the judgment's requirements caused serious consequences, including overwhelmed RRO operations, placing officials at risk, and threats to public safety and order. With these new developments, the department will now embark on a new process to determine the most appropriate operational approach to comply with the court's order while respecting the judiciary and the rule of law.",
  "summary": "The department said the attempt to practically implement the judgment immediately 'led to serious consequences that could not have been foreseen in the Court order'.",
  "key_points": [
    "Home Affairs revokes September 28 directive on asylum applications",
    "Constitutional Court ruled refugees can access processing centers",
    "Directive sparked nationwide protests and clashes in Soweto"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The withdrawal of the directive allows the Department of Home Affairs to reassess and adjust its approach to implementing the Constitutional Court's ruling on asylum seeker applications, balancing compliance with public safety concerns.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 7,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "AllAfrica",
        "title": "South Africa: Home Affairs Withdraws Asylum Directive After Violent Anti-Immigration Protests",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/south-africa-home-affairs-withdraws-asylum-directive-after-violent",
        "published": "2026-10-09T06:35:22.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "IOL",
        "title": "Home Affairs makes U-turn on asylum application directive",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/home-affairs-makes-u-turn-on-asylum-application-directive",
        "published": "2026-10-09T06:45:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "SABC News",
        "title": "Home Affairs withdraws directive on asylum seeker applications",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/home-affairs-withdraws-directive-on-asylum-seeker-applications-13054818",
        "published": "2026-10-09T07:00:29.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Hindu",
        "title": "CMRL pay-off case: Kerala HC directive no setback to govt, will act after studying order, says Home Minister Chennithala",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/cmrl-pay-off-case-kerala-hc-directive-no-setback-to-govt-will-act",
        "published": "2026-10-09T09:00:31.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Mail and Guardian",
        "title": "Home Affairs withdraws asylum directive as Schreiber defends reversal",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/home-affairs-withdraws-asylum-directive-as-schreiber-defends-reversal",
        "published": "2026-10-09T09:00:47.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Maverick",
        "title": "ANTI-FOREIGNER UNREST: Home Affairs scraps asylum seeker directive after violence in Durban and Soweto",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/anti-foreigner-unrest-home-affairs-scraps-asylum-seeker-directive",
        "published": "2026-10-09T10:36:11.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}