Clashes have also been reported in Durban and Gqeberha as foreign nationals queued at Home Affairs offices following the ruling.
Firefighters spray water into a burning vehicle following clashes between local residents and foreign nationals in Soweto on October 8, 2026. The clashes followed protests over a Constitutional Court ruling concerning the processing of asylum applications in South Africa. Picture: EMMANUEL Croset / AFP
Soweto erupted in violence on Thursday, 8 October, after residents clashed with foreign nationals on the back of a Home Affairs directive concerning asylum seekers.
Several cars reportedly belonging to immigrants were set alight in Orlando West in a stand-off between residents and foreign shop owners.
Goods belonging to some of the shop owners were also reportedly torched.
Violence erupts in Orlando West
Speaking to SABC News, Johannesburg Metro Police Department spokesperson Xolani Fihla said residents who were protesting against the ruling reacted to gunshots fired towards them.
“From the reports that we are receiving on the ground, there were shots that were fired allegedly towards the protesters, and this led to the retaliation and them burning vehicles within the area,” Fihla said.
He said around nine vehicles were torched; however, there could be more.
“But at the present moment, I can confirm that no injuries have been reported, and our officers are still on the ground.”
Fihla said the tensions have since died down.
Khumalo Road near the Hector Peterson Memorial and Museum has been closed to traffic as a result of the clash.
Protest follows ConCourt asylum ruling
Protestors took to the streets as they expressed their frustration over the directive following a Constitutional Court ruling in July.
The apex court ruled that refugees and asylum seekers must be given the opportunity to access processing centres, regardless of whether they entered South Africa illegally.
In response to the ruling, the directive instructed refugee centres to cater for anyone wishing to apply for asylum status.
“Every refugee reception office must, with immediate effect, receive every person who reports in person and indicates an intention to apply for asylum, and must assist that person to lodge an application,” a Home Affairs notice stated following the judgement.
“No refugee reception office may operate a policy or quota that prevents persons from obtaining effective access to asylum application process.”
Watch: violent clashes erupt in Soweto
Unrest also reported in Durban and Gqeberha
Scores of foreign nationals have since been seen in snaking queues at various Home Affairs offices following the judgement.
Violence also erupted in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal and Gqeberha, Eastern Cape.
In Durban, several cars were also set on fire, while police in Gqeberha used stun grenades to disperse locals, allegedly disrupting the queuing of foreign nationals.
