Heightened security at anti-immigrant hotspots in South Africa

Johannesburg and Durban saw a second day of violent anti-immigrant protests. Demonstrators targeted foreign nationals, especially people from other African countries. They attacked foreigners, burned cars, looted shops, and threw bricks and bottles. The unrest matters because South Africa has experienced repeated xenophobic violence for nearly two decades.

The protests followed anger over a Home Affairs directive about asylum applications. Misinformation falsely claimed undocumented migrants would automatically receive legal status. Anti-immigrant campaigners gathered around refugee reception centres, while police tried to disperse crowds with tear gas and stun grenades.

Security was heightened in both cities as the unrest continued. Home Affairs withdrew the directive and said it would prepare a new plan meeting Constitutional Court requirements. The protests also came before local elections, as unemployment remained above 30 per cent and anti-foreigner groups continued mobilising.

An asylum seeker is a person who asks another country for protection after leaving their own country. Their request must be considered before authorities decide whether they qualify to remain. This differs from automatically receiving legal status. The distinction mattered because misinformation turned an application procedure into a source of public anger.

The Constitutional Court ruling required South Africa to let asylum seekers submit applications even if they had entered without the required documents. Home Affairs issued a directive explaining how to implement that ruling. Hundreds of people then gathered at refugee reception centres, where applications could be processed.

False claims said undocumented migrants would automatically become legal. That was not what the directive meant, based on the article’s description. Amid protests, Home Affairs withdrew the directive and promised a new plan that would still meet the Constitutional Court’s requirements.

The immediate reaction included hundreds of people gathering at refugee reception centres. They responded to the Home Affairs directive and the wider confusion around asylum applications. The article does not give an exact number for these gatherings, so “hundreds” is the available measure of their size.

The larger exodus followed March and March’s unofficial June 30 deadline for foreigners to leave South Africa. Tens of thousands of people from other African nations fled the country. This movement showed that anti-foreigner mobilisation had consequences beyond street protests in Johannesburg and Durban.

The response unfolded as complaints about illegal immigration grew before local government elections on November 4. The government had announced stronger border controls, action against human smuggling, and faster deportations for people who did not qualify to remain. The article gives no later total for those measures.

The false belief transformed a legal and administrative issue into a perceived threat. Protesters thought the government was preparing to legalise undocumented migrants automatically. That claim was wrong according to the directive’s described purpose, which was to allow asylum applications to be submitted and processed.

Anger spread among anti-immigrant campaigners. Demonstrators attacked foreigners, torched cars, looted shops, and threw bricks and bottles in Johannesburg and Durban. Police responded with tear gas and stun grenades. The misinformation also encouraged people to gather at refugee reception centres, adding pressure around the asylum system.

Home Affairs withdrew the directive on Friday in an effort to quell the anger. It said it would draft a new plan that met the Constitutional Court’s requirements. The episode shows how inaccurate claims about migration rules can intensify existing hostility and produce immediate public disorder.

South Africa has long attracted migrants from elsewhere in Africa because it is the continent’s wealthiest nation. Many migrants seek employment there. This movement matters because it brings people into communities where jobs, services, and other resources may already feel limited, especially when unemployment is high.

Some local residents and campaigners claim foreign nationals take scarce jobs and resources from South Africans. The article describes these claims as disputed. Complaints about illegal immigration also grew before local government elections, creating a setting where migration became a powerful political issue.

The result has included periodic xenophobic violence for nearly two decades. Groups such as March and March led demonstrations during the year, and an unofficial deadline pushed tens of thousands of people from other African nations to flee. The government responded with border controls, anti-smuggling measures, and faster deportations for those who did not qualify to remain.

Home Affairs is the government department handling the asylum directive and broader immigration administration. It told officials to accept applications from asylum seekers who lacked required entry documents. After protests, it withdrew that directive and promised a replacement. The department also announced measures involving borders, smuggling, and deportations.

The police handle immediate public order and security. In Johannesburg and Durban, officers used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse demonstrators. Security was heightened after attacks, looting, and damage. Police action addressed the violence, while Home Affairs addressed the policy dispute behind the mobilisation.

The Constitutional Court provides the legal requirement that government policy must follow. Its ruling required asylum seekers to be allowed to submit applications despite entering without required documents. Home Affairs could change its implementation plan, but the replacement still had to meet the court’s requirements.

Xenophobia means hostility, prejudice, or violence directed at people because they are perceived as foreigners. In this case, foreign nationals were attacked during protests in Johannesburg and Durban. The issue matters because South Africa has experienced periodic xenophobic violence for nearly two decades.

Economic pressure can make people more receptive to blaming outsiders. Unemployment was above 30 per cent, while some communities claimed foreigners took scarce jobs and resources. The article calls those claims disputed. Political campaigning can amplify such fears, especially because complaints about illegal immigration grew before the November 4 local elections.

Mobilisation groups can turn frustration into demonstrations and threats. March and March organised protests, including an unofficial deadline that preceded tens of thousands fleeing. Misinformation about asylum rules added another trigger. Together, economic anxiety, political incentives, and false claims helped create conditions for attacks, looting, and further displacement.