At least 24 vehicles have been set on fire and foreign-owned shops looted in South Africa after anti-migrant demonstrations turned violent in Soweto and Durban, police said.
The unrest broke out on Thursday as protesters called for tighter immigration controls, reflecting growing tensions over the presence of foreign nationals and the country’s asylum application process.
Police said 14 vehicles were torched in Durban, while another 10 were set ablaze in Soweto, a large township on the outskirts of Johannesburg. Gunshots were also reported during confrontations involving residents and foreign shopkeepers in Soweto.
In Durban, protesters gathered outside a government refugee reception centre, demanding that it stop accepting asylum applications. Police fired rubber bullets to disperse the crowds, while businesses in the city centre closed their doors amid fears of further violence.
“There were clashes between foreign nationals in the area and South African nationals,” senior local police officer Xolani Fihla told the state broadcaster SABC.
He said no injuries had been reported at the time of his statement.
The demonstrations reportedly escalated after allegations that a foreign national had assaulted a protester in Durban. Police said three foreign nationals had been arrested in connection with the alleged assault.
In Soweto, residents had initially called for the closure of small convenience stores, commonly known as spaza shops, operated by foreign nationals. The protests later escalated, with traders reportedly forced out of some areas, shops attacked and a building set on fire.
Acting national police commissioner Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane condemned the destruction of property. Authorities said additional officers had been deployed to contain the unrest and prevent further attacks.
Court ruling fuels immigration tensions
The violence follows a July ruling by South Africa’s Constitutional Court that removed restrictions preventing some migrants from applying for asylum because of how they entered the country or whether they had missed immigration deadlines.
The decision requires authorities to accept asylum applications from people who would previously have been barred from applying on those grounds. It does not, however, automatically grant applicants refugee status or permanent residence.
Government spokesman William Baloyi told Reuters that false claims about the ruling had circulated, creating the impression that undocumented migrants would automatically receive legal status.
Officials have maintained that each application must be assessed individually and that applicants remain subject to immigration checks.
The judgment has drawn renewed attention to South Africa’s immigration system, with hundreds of people reportedly gathering at refugee reception centres. Anti-immigration campaigners fear the ruling could encourage more undocumented migration.
Earlier this year, anti-immigration groups staged weeks of demonstrations demanding that undocumented foreign nationals leave the country by 30 June. The protests prompted tens of thousands of migrants to flee, with some returning to their home countries through government-supported repatriation programmes.
A long history of xenophobic violence
South Africa has experienced repeated waves of xenophobic attacks over nearly two decades. In 2008, more than 60 people were killed and tens of thousands displaced during widespread violence against foreign nationals.
The latest unrest comes as the country continues to grapple with poverty, inequality and high unemployment, which affects roughly a third of its workforce.
Foreign nationals are often accused of taking jobs, contributing to crime and putting pressure on public services. Researchers have cautioned, however, that broad claims blaming migrants for these problems are not supported by sufficient evidence.
Despite its economic challenges, South Africa remains a major destination for people from across the continent seeking employment, safety and better opportunities.
Authorities have pledged to pursue those responsible for the latest destruction as concerns grow over the safety of foreign nationals and the risk of further unrest.
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