Durban Police Fire Tear Gas as Protests Return Friday
SECURITY · SOUTH AFRICA
Key Facts
- —The country South Africa is a major destination for migrants from across Africa. Durban, in KwaZulu-Natal province, is a large Indian Ocean port city.
- —Why it matters Two days of Durban anti-immigration protests have forced a government reversal on asylum and raised fears for investment in KwaZulu-Natal.
- —Why now Home Affairs opened refugee offices to all asylum applicants on 28 September after a court order, then withdrew that directive on Friday 9 October.
- —What happened On Friday 9 October police used tear gas, stun grenades and rubber bullets on marchers in central Durban, a day after 14 vehicles were set alight.
- —What it means for US readers Visitors and firms with staff in Durban should avoid the city centre and follow US consulate alerts. The province hosts an investment conference on 15 October.
- —Still open Whether soldiers deploy, who will be charged, and how Home Affairs will now comply with the Constitutional Court order.
Police in Durban, South Africa, fired tear gas, stun grenades and rubber bullets on Friday 9 October. Durban anti-immigration protests had returned to the city centre for a second day.
The marches followed violence on Thursday, when 14 vehicles were set alight and shops were looted. For US travellers, investors and companies with staff in KwaZulu-Natal, the unrest is both a safety and a business risk.
In a statement on Friday evening, KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda called it “a crowd management situation”, IOL reported. He said officers would use the minimum legal force needed to restore order.
Netshiunda rejected claims that officers merely escorted protesters while crimes took place. Extra officers were being moved into Durban from other parts of the province.
“Police intelligence officers are hard at work identifying persons of interests,” the statement said. It added that detectives would gather evidence and “effect arrests” at the appropriate time.
What Happened in Durban on Thursday and Friday
The Durban anti-immigration protests began outside the Department of Home Affairs refugee reception centre on Che Guevara Road. GroundUp reported that protesters had gathered there on three days that week to stop asylum seekers from entering.
On Thursday 8 October, hundreds of people marched from the centre into the city. GroundUp saw dozens of vandalised stores and at least one assault. A scrapyard, apparently owned by an immigrant, was set on fire.
The crowd included members of March and March, a Durban lobby group that campaigns against undocumented immigration. The group told GroundUp it had not organised Thursday’s march. Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma of March and March told reporters on Thursday the group would keep demonstrating “until the government finds a way out of this mess”.
Police said three foreign nationals were arrested over the alleged assault of a protester, who reportedly suffered a broken leg. GroundUp first reported a shooting, then corrected it after police confirmed the man was assaulted, not shot.
On Friday, more than 100 people marched along Dr Yusuf Dadoo Street, formerly Grey Street, according to IOL. Fourteen burnt-out vehicles still stood on Dr Pixley kaSeme Street, and many foreign-owned shops stayed shut.
Eyewitness News (EWN) reported that three houses and a motorbike were set alight in Umbilo, a Durban suburb. Residents said the houses were occupied by foreign nationals. Who started the fires is unclear.
SABC News said unrest also broke out in Umlazi and Merebank, south of the city. Marchers told SABC they would keep protesting until immigration laws are addressed, citing unemployment and financial hardship.
Why the Asylum Ruling Sparked the Marches
On Tuesday 7 July, the Constitutional Court ruled in a case brought by the Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town, a group that supports refugees and migrants. EWN reported that the ruling lets asylum seekers apply regardless of how they entered the country.
On Monday 28 September, Home Affairs told all refugee reception offices to accept applications. GroundUp said this ended a six-year closure to new applicants.
On Friday the department said its Director-General had withdrawn that directive, according to the government news agency SAnews. Offices “were overwhelmed within days”, officials were placed at risk, and “serious threats to public safety and order emerged”, it said.
The department said the directive was issued without the knowledge of the Home Affairs minister or any other political office bearer. It will now look for a new way to comply with the court’s order.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said the department now had facts showing it could not comply fully “right now in the way that initially was contemplated”. He said this gives the department evidence to put before the court, EWN reported.
The government has stressed that the ruling does not grant legal status to undocumented foreign nationals, IOL reported. It concerns only access to the process that assesses asylum claims.
Calls for the Army and the Political Response
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli, who heads the provincial government, told SABC News he had asked for the South African National Defence Force to be deployed. He said more police were also arriving from outside the province.
Ntuli warned that the violence could hurt investor confidence before a provincial investment conference on Thursday 15 October. He urged residents not to loot or destroy property in the name of genuine concerns.
Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia visited central Durban on Friday to assess the damage, EWN reported. He said frustrations were understandable given the government’s slow pace on illegal immigration. A fresh group of angry protesters met him.
The unrest has spread beyond Durban. IOL reported 10 vehicles torched in Soweto, and police arrested four people after protests in Johannesburg’s city centre.
There are stabilisers. Police say they are balancing the constitutional right to protest with protecting lives and property. The asylum directive that angered marchers has already been withdrawn.
The Durban anti-immigration protests come less than four weeks before South Africa’s local elections on Wednesday 4 November. The date is listed by the Electoral Commission. Tensions are not new: in September, Durban Anti-Immigrant Protests: Police Whisk Mayor Cyril Xaba From Hostile Crowd.
What It Means for US Readers
Travellers should avoid central Durban, the refugee centre on Che Guevara Road and any march routes. On Friday one march was expected to end on Mahatma Gandhi Road in South Beach, SABC reported.
US citizens should follow alerts from the US Embassy in Pretoria and the US Consulate General in Durban. The sources we reviewed reported no disruption at Durban’s port.
For investors, the Durban anti-immigration protests are a risk to confidence in KwaZulu-Natal, as the premier himself warned. Shopkeepers in the city centre are counting losses, and many foreign-owned businesses remain closed.
For US policy watchers, the episode shows migration pressure reshaping policy in South Africa’s coalition government, in a debate familiar to Americans.
What Is Not Known
Police have not published a consolidated count of arrests or injuries in Durban. It is not known whether the premier’s request for soldiers will be approved; deploying the army needs presidential authorisation.
It is unclear who set the Umbilo houses on fire, and whether more marches are planned for the weekend. Home Affairs has not said how or when it will comply with the court order, or whether it will return to court.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in Durban on 9 October?
Police used tear gas, stun grenades and rubber bullets on anti-immigration marchers in central Durban, on the second day of protests. On Thursday, 14 vehicles were set alight and shops were looted.
Why are people protesting in Durban?
People joining the Durban anti-immigration protests oppose undocumented immigration. They also object to asylum offices opening to all applicants after a July court ruling. Many cite unemployment.
Did South Africa reverse its asylum directive?
Yes. On Friday 9 October, the Home Affairs Director-General withdrew a directive issued on 28 September. The department said refugee offices were overwhelmed and public order was at risk.
Has the army been deployed in KwaZulu-Natal?
On Friday evening, Premier Thami Ntuli said he had requested an army deployment. He said the request was being processed. More police were being sent to Durban.
Is Durban safe for US visitors?
Visitors should avoid the city centre, the refugee centre on Che Guevara Road and any march routes. They should follow alerts from the US Consulate General in Durban.
Sources: SAnews; IOL; GroundUp; EWN (Umbilo); EWN (Cachalia); EWN (Schreiber); SABC News (Ntuli); SABC News (marchers); Electoral Commission of South Africa.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief