South Africa Withdraws Asylum-Processing Directive After Protests
October 9, 2026 — International Watch / Breaking News
South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs says its director-general has withdrawn a September 28 directive on the intake of asylum applications. The directive was issued after the Constitutional Court’s July 7 ruling in the Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town matter. The department said implementation quickly overwhelmed refugee reception offices, put officials at risk and raised public-safety concerns.
The withdrawal followed violent protests in Johannesburg’s Soweto township and Durban on October 8. Reuters reported that at least 24 vehicles were burned and some foreign-owned shops were looted. The government said the court ruling did not automatically grant refugee status, permanent residence or other legal rights; it addressed access to the asylum process.
The government’s action withdraws the operational directive; it does not itself reverse the Constitutional Court’s judgment. Officials say they will develop an operationally appropriate way to comply with the ruling. Protesters’ claims about migrants should be treated as claims, not established facts about crime, jobs or public services.