At least 24 vehicles have been set on fire and foreign-owned businesses looted in South Africa after anti-migrant demonstrations escalated into violence in Johannesburg and Durban.
The unrest erupted on Thursday, October 8, in Soweto, a township outside Johannesburg, and Durban, a major coastal city, amid public anger over a court ruling on asylum applications.
Police said 14 vehicles were torched in Durban, while another 10 were destroyed in Soweto. Shops operated by foreign nationals were also attacked, forcing some businesses to close as tensions intensified.
In Durban, protesters gathered outside a refugee reception centre, demanding that authorities stop accepting asylum applications. Police reportedly fired rubber bullets to disperse crowds as violence spread through parts of the city.
Three foreign nationals were arrested in connection with an alleged assault on a protester in Durban. Authorities also reported confrontations between South African residents and foreign shopkeepers in Soweto, where a building was set on fire.
The demonstrations follow a July ruling by South Africa’s Constitutional Court that removed certain procedural barriers preventing people from applying for asylum, including those who entered the country without proper documentation.
Government spokesperson, William Baloyi, said misinformation about the ruling had fuelled tensions, stressing that permission to apply for asylum does not automatically grant refugee status or permanent residence.
Acting National Police Commissioner Lieutenant, General Puleng Dimpane, condemned the destruction of property and warned that those responsible would face investigation and possible prosecution.
The latest violence comes amid longstanding tensions over immigration, unemployment and economic inequality in South Africa, where foreign nationals have repeatedly been targeted in xenophobic attacks.
Authorities have deployed additional police personnel to affected areas to prevent further violence and restore order.
