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South African police mobilised additional officers across Durban and Soweto after anti-migrant protests escalated into violence on October 8 according to a Reuters dispatch from the cities. In Durban a Reuters reporter saw five torched cars in the urban centre where foreign-owned shops were looted while police said at least 14 vehicles were set alight along with partial burning of a guest house and warehouse. Acting national police commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane reported 10 vehicles burned in Soweto where residents looted a Somali-owned shop and chased away its proprietor before officers dispersed the crowd. The demonstrations had demanded that a refugee centre stop processing asylum applications Reuters reported.
Government spokesperson William Baloyi stated that the unrest was triggered by deliberately false information circulating about a constitutional court ruling issued in July according to Reuters. That decision removed procedural barriers for asylum seekers who entered irregularly lacked transit visas or missed reporting deadlines Al Jazeera reported from Johannesburg. “We are deeply concerned by what is going on now” Baloyi said. Police fired rubber bullets in some Durban locations to disperse the protesters AFP reporters observed on the day.
The latest disturbances follow months of anti-migrant marches that have drawn international criticism and prompted thousands of African foreign nationals to flee South Africa this year Reuters data shows. During similar protests in June and July officers arrested more than 900 people on charges ranging from public violence to robbery while at least five migrants were killed in related attacks according to police statements compiled by the news agency. Protest organisers have denied responsibility for the violence yet pledged continued weekly actions until their objectives on immigration are met Reuters noted.
Migrants are routinely accused of taking jobs from locals increasing crime and straining public services although social scientists say the allegations lack evidence a Reuters analysis found. Statistics South Africa figures place the country’s unemployment rate at 33.6 percent in the second quarter of 2026 with 8.5 million people jobless even after an exodus of more than 178,000 African immigrants earlier in the year. The census estimated 2.4 million international migrants lived in South Africa in 2022 representing roughly 3.9 percent of the population close to the global average the statistical agency reported.
Foreign nationals with legal status and long-term residence have faced business looting and displacement during the waves of unrest previous Reuters reporting from Durban and Johannesburg detailed. One Ethiopian shop owner whose premises escaped damage told the agency he hoped for stability while others from Somalia and Pakistan worked to repair broken doors before nightfall. The events have highlighted persistent tensions that also flared in 2019 when five people died in attacks on foreigners and dozens of shops were vandalised Al Jazeera records show.
A backlog of more than 82,000 asylum cases has compounded processing challenges at refugee centres following the court ruling according to Unisa legal expert Mametlwe Sebei in remarks to Business Day. The inter-ministerial committee on migration met to address public panic and disinformation while weighing legal options and potential review of refugee policies the newspaper reported. Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi supported extending an investigation into the asylum system she said during the committee session.
