JOHANNESBURG — Protests in South Africa turned violent on Thursday as demonstrators expressed their anger over a recent Constitutional Court ruling that eases asylum application processes. At least 24 vehicles were set ablaze across the cities of Johannesburg and Durban, where shops were also looted.
According to Acting National Police Commissioner Lt. Gen. Puleng Dimpane, 10 vehicles were burned in Johannesburg’s Soweto township, while 14 were set on fire in Durban’s KwaZulu-Natal province. Police made three arrests in connection with the Durban incidents.
The unrest in Soweto began near a Home Affairs office in Orlando West, as protesters gathered to voice their opposition to the court’s decision, which they believe undermines South African citizens. Demonstrators have been calling for the deportation of foreign nationals living in the country illegally, amid ongoing anti-immigrant tensions.
Metro police spokesperson Xolani Fihla reported that several vehicles were left charred on the streets of Soweto after the protests escalated. No injuries have been reported, and officers are investigating the possibility of additional vehicles being burned.
Fihla mentioned that reports of gunfire aimed at protesters may have incited the retaliatory actions, but did not specify who allegedly fired the shots or the ownership of the vehicles. He described the situation as tense but noted a decrease in violence later in the day.
Community leader Tshepo Mposula stated that the protest began peacefully but escalated when residents attempted to shut down foreign-owned convenience stores. He claimed that gunfire from foreign nationals incited the demonstrators to set vehicles ablaze, emphasizing that the intended demonstration was meant to be non-violent.
In Durban, reports of looting in shops owned by foreign nationals coincided with the disturbances. Riot police were deployed to the city center as smoke filled the downtown area from multiple fires.
The unrest follows an urgent briefing by the government’s Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration related to overwhelming crowds at asylum offices due to the July court ruling. This decision removed procedural barriers to asylum for individuals who had previously faced challenges based on how they entered the country or missed application deadlines.
Home Affairs officials acknowledged that they were unprepared for the surge of applications that followed the court’s decision. Authorities have promised to increase processing capacity and expedite decisions, while clarifying that the ruling allows for the assessment of claims but does not automatically confer refugee status or residency.
Police remain in the affected areas as tensions persist, with some roads closed in response to the ongoing situation.
