Phakel’umthakathi Calls for Calm After Durban Unrest Leaves Shops Looted and Vehicles Torched
- Nkosikhona Phakel’umthakathi Ndabandaba called for calm amid the escalating violence in the Durban Central Business District
- Shops were looted, vehicles torched, and several people were arrested during the unrest, which reportedly followed an assault on a local
- Speaking from the scene of the chaos, Ndabandaba warned leaders against inciting community members to commit acts of destruction
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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 — Nkosikhona "Phakel’umthakathi" Ndabandaba has publicly apologised for the violence in Durban on 8 October 2026, calling for calm in the city.
Clashes between residents and foreign nationals left shops looted, vehicles torched and several people under arrest. The clashes were triggered by a reported assault on a resident, with some accounts suggesting the individual was shot dead. The situation escalated quickly, with businesses ransacked and cars set alight across parts of the city.
Addressing the reporters who were covering the chaos, Ndabandaba spoke with visible emotion as he acknowledged the damage caused by the unrest and noted that he was taking control of the situation.
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Phakel’umthakathi calls for calm
Speaking about the unrest, Phakel’umthakathi apologised for what took place in the city centre.
"What has happened has happened. It is visible. But as leaders, we shouldn't send people to do things that lead to destruction. I apologise sincerely, and I am correcting this," he said.
He also appealed for calm on behalf of those arrested during the violence, urging people to be careful not to incite others' children to commit these acts, which could get them arrested.
While offering his apology, Ndabandaba maintained that the community's grievances had been heard and urged those involved not to retreat from their demands but to pursue them without further damage.
The violence comes on the back of tensions after large queues of foreign nationals formed outside the Durban Home Affairs Refugee Reception Centre on Che Guevara Road.
Anti-illegal immigration groups, primarily March and March, responded by blocking entrances to the building, 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
