Violence Erupts in Durban: Vehicles Burnt After Local Man Allegedly Shot Dead by Foreign Nationals
- Three cars were set on fire on Dr Pixley KaSeme Street in Durban's CBD on 8 October 2026
- The unrest followed an alleged fatal shooting of a local man by foreign nationals, according to reports
- Tensions in Durban had already been escalating over days due to clashes at the Home Affairs
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Source: Getty Images
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
KWAZULU-NATAL — Violence erupted in Durban's central business district on 8 October 2026, amid escalating tensions over immigration.
Three cars were overturned and set ablaze on Dr Pixley KaSeme Street, while a tyre shop belonging to a foreign national was also set alight. Reports circulating on social media attributed the car fires to protesters acting in response to an alleged fatal shooting of a South African man by foreign nationals.
Footage shared on X shows at least one vehicle engulfed in flames, thick black smoke filling the street near shuttered storefronts, with security personnel in tactical gear and bystanders visible at the scene.
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There have also been reports of damage to properties and looting in other parts of the city centre.
As the violence continued in the CBD, the police provided an update on what sparked it.
Colonel Robert Netshiunda, the provincial spokesperson for the South African Police Service (SAPS) in KwaZulu-Natal, explained that one protester was assaulted by foreign nationals, which led to the rest of the group turning violent.
He added that at least 10 vehicles were torched in the aftermath.
Violence follows days of clashes at Home Affairs
The street unrest did not emerge in isolation. From 7 October, large queues of foreign nationals had formed outside the Durban Home Affairs Refugee Reception Centre on Che Guevara Road, following a Constitutional Court judgment and subsequent Home Affairs directive requiring refugee offices to accept in-person asylum applications from anyone who presented themselves, regardless of prior status.
Anti-illegal immigration groups, primarily March and March, responded by blocking entrances, dispersing queues, and protesting in the area. Police cleared the area and turned applicants away, citing safety concerns.
US Consulate General warns of violence in Durban
The United States Consulate General Durban issued a security alert on 7 October 2026 over reports of looting and violence.
US government personnel were instructed to avoid the area and monitor updates in the media over the reported threats.
South Africans on social media disputed the claims, with some saying they witnessed no looting taking place on that day.
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Source: Briefly News
