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Africa · Society · South Africa Source-checked
Vehicles burned and shops looted in South Africa during protests over an asylum ruling
Anti-immigration protests turned violent in Soweto and Durban on Thursday, with police reporting 24 vehicles set alight and foreign-owned shops looted. The government says it will change how it applies the court ruling.
Key facts
- Police say 14 vehicles were torched in Durban and 10 in Soweto on Thursday 8 October 2026.
- The protests followed a July Constitutional Court ruling that removed barriers some migrants faced when applying for asylum.
- Police reported no injuries in the reports we read, and the Home Affairs department says it will change how it complies with the ruling.
Anti-immigration protests in South Africa turned violent on Thursday 8 October, according to the BBC and Africanews. Police say 24 vehicles were set on fire, 14 in Durban and 10 in Soweto, and shops owned by foreign nationals were looted.
In Soweto, residents first gathered in Orlando West near a Home Affairs office to demand the closure of small convenience shops run by foreign nationals, according to the BBC. It says protesters forced foreign traders out of some areas, shops were attacked and a building was set alight. Gunshots were also reported. In Durban, protesters gathered outside a refugee reception centre and asked that it stop accepting asylum applications. Police fired rubber bullets to disperse crowds and businesses in the city centre closed.
The BBC reports that the unrest began after allegations that a foreign national had assaulted one of the protesters in Durban, and that three foreign nationals were arrested over the alleged assault. A senior police officer told the state broadcaster that no injuries had been reported.
Both outlets link the anger to a July ruling by the Constitutional Court. The court struck down restrictions that stopped some people from applying for asylum because of how they entered the country or because they missed immigration deadlines. The BBC says the ruling led to long queues outside immigration centres. Authorities say refugee reception offices were overwhelmed.
On Friday the Department of Home Affairs said it would change how it complies with the ruling, without giving details, according to the BBC. It said the new approach would still respect the court’s decision. Africanews says the government promised to expand processing capacity and strengthen identity checks, and stressed that the ruling does not automatically grant refugee status.
The BBC notes that South Africa has seen repeated outbreaks of violence aimed at migrants from neighbouring countries. Police have promised to pursue those responsible for the destruction.
Why it matters
The unrest shows how tension over migration and asylum rules can quickly turn into violence, and it affects the safety and livelihoods of foreign nationals living and trading in South Africa.
What remains uncertain
Injury and arrest figures may change as police update them. We did not see a statement from the Home Affairs department itself, and we have not verified reports about gunshots or the alleged assault in Durban.
Sources and references
- BBC News: Cars torched and shops looted as anti-migrant violence erupts in South Africa (2026-10-09)
- Africanews: Cars burned and shops looted as anti-immigration protests rock South Africa (2026-10-09)
Each link goes to the specific article or document we used. Two articles carrying the same wire report count as one source.
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