Anti-immigrant protests cause Home Affairs to rethink directive
The Home Affairs directive led to anti-immigrant protests and violence in many parts of the country, including traffic blockages on the N2 between Amanzimtoti and Durban.
TRAVELLERS from the South Coast to Durban today (October 9) have been urged to exercise caution after protests erupted following the Department of Home Affairs’ (DHA) issuing of a directive regarding the intake of asylum seeker applications.
The directive resulted in DHA centres seeing an influx of undocumented foreign nationals and a spate of anti-immigrant violence, causing the department to withdraw the directive today.
Issued by DHA director-general Thulani Mavuso on September 28, the directive instructed all refugee reception offices to process all asylum seeker applications following the judgment of the Constitutional Court on July 7. The Prospecton DHA centre does not contain a refugee reception office.
Also read: Anti-illegal immigrant activist’s Umbumbulu home burns down
The directive led to anti-immigrant protests and violence in many parts of the country, affecting people travelling from Amanzimtoti to Durban. In the Durban CBD on October 8, clashes between immigrants and South African protesters saw more than 20 cars torched.
Mavuso said the directive was originally issued as a purely operational attempt to support the implementation of the court’s order. The protesters, however, have alleged that it was politically motivated to document all foreign nationals while millions of South Africans do not have identity documents.
“The attempt to practically implement the judgment immediately led to serious consequences that could not have been foreseen in the court order. Home Affairs officials were placed at risk, and serious threats to public safety and order emerged,” said Mavuso.
With these new facts now at hand, Mavuso said the department will embark on a fresh process to determine the most appropriate operational approach to ensure compliance with the Constitutional Court’s order.
For more South Coast Sun news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.
Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter and get news delivered straight to your inbox.
Do you have more information pertaining to this story? Feel free to let us know by commenting on our Facebook page or you can contact our newsroom on 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist.
