On 6 October 2026, asylum seekers queuing at the Home Affairs Refugee Reception Centre on Che Guevara Road in Durban were confronted and harassed by stick-wielding vigilantes, some masked, who shoved several people as they waited in the parking area.
The hostility escalated over the following days, culminating on 8 October in violent clashes in Durban’s city centre, notably near Dr Pixley KaSeme Street, where at least one person was reportedly shot and hospitalised, while others were assaulted. Vehicles were set alight and shops looted amid the unrest that spread through the central business district, creating chaos in the area.
Multiple independent sources including GroundUp, The Witness, and Daily Maverick confirm that protests and intimidation began outside the refugee reception office and rapidly grew more violent, targeting asylum seekers and disrupting public order.
In response, the Department of Home Affairs announced on 9 October 2026 that it was withdrawing a directive which had instructed refugee reception offices to accept asylum applications from people reporting in person, regardless of whether they entered South Africa unlawfully or without a visa. The department cited overwhelming demand on facilities, risks to staff, and threats to public safety as reasons for the reversal.
“The attempt to practically implement the judgment immediately led to serious consequences that could not have been foreseen in the court order,” Home Affairs said, emphasising that the directive’s withdrawal was necessary given the volatile situation.
A spokesperson for the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration clarified: “The ruling does not grant automatic refugee status or guarantee a right to remain in South Africa indefinitely.” Similarly, court explanations noted the judgment does not legalise unlawful migration or confer automatic refugee status to those entering the country.
The unrest has brought into focus the fraught intersection of migration policy, community tensions, and public safety concerns in Durban. Local residents and activists have voiced differing perspectives: Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma of March and March told reporters, “We are here picketing because that’s our right to express our dissatisfaction in our country, and that is what happens in a democracy.” However, it remains unclear to what extent these protests were organised by specific groups, amid conflicting accounts.
This wave of violence underscores the challenges faced by South African authorities and communities in balancing constitutional court rulings on immigration with local sentiments and safety. The exact condition of the person reportedly shot has not been confirmed, and the total number of injured is uncertain as investigations continue.
The situation is being closely monitored by SAPS Durban, with authorities engaged to restore calm and ensure the protection of vulnerable groups, including asylum seekers in the area.
A Cape Flats News journalist on the scene confirms the sequence of events and the withdrawal of the directive as key developments. Further updates will follow as the investigation proceeds and efforts to stabilise Durban’s city centre continue.