Story perspectives

Home Affairs Withdraws Asylum Directive After Durban Protests

By Drooid · Oct 9, 2026, 11:07 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Home Affairs Withdraws Directive

Home Affairs withdrew the asylum directive after violent protests in Durban and Soweto.
The July 7 Constitutional Court ruling declared procedural asylum barriers unconstitutional, prompting the directive.
Protesters torched 24 vehicles, looted shops and fired shots in Durban and Soweto.
Lt. Gen. Puleng Dimpane reported police arrested three foreign nationals in Durban for assault.
Thousands of Zimbabwean and Malawian nationals fled South Africa after the unrest.

Summary

Lerato Ngobeni Warns

ActionSA chief whip Lerato Ngobeni warned the new directive will strain South Africa’s immigration system.
Ngobeni called for integration and repatriation centres near borders and inland to assess asylum seekers.
She urged Home Affairs to adopt biometric registration, stricter timelines, and distinguish refugees from economic migrants.
She requested data on the directive’s impact on applications, processing capacity, and repatriation of rejections.

History

Historical Context

South Africa’s 1998 Refugee Act, signed by President Nelson Mandela, gave a constitutional right to asylum and a 30-day processing rule. By 2022 the Department of Home Affairs handled 45,000 applications, a 12 % rise, sparking protests after the July 7 2024 Constitutional Court decision. The law mirrors a post-WWII trend, such as the U.S. Refugee Act of 1980.

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Home Affairs Withdraws Directive

Home Affairs withdrew the asylum directive after violent protests in Durban and Soweto.
The July 7 Constitutional Court ruling declared procedural asylum barriers unconstitutional, prompting the directive.
Protesters torched 24 vehicles, looted shops and fired shots in Durban and Soweto.
Lt. Gen. Puleng Dimpane reported police arrested three foreign nationals in Durban for assault.
Thousands of Zimbabwean and Malawian nationals fled South Africa after the unrest.

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