General Mkhwanazi Says SAPS Probing Senior Home Affairs Officials Over Foreign Nationals Entering SA

• Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi addressed reporters in Durban on 9 October 2026 after the unrest the day before
• The KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner explained what sparked the violence that led to several vehicles being burnt
• South Africans took to social media to weigh in on General Mkhwanazi's comments, sharing varied reactions to them

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 — Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi said the police are looking into “senior” Home Affairs officials who are facilitating the entry of foreign nationals into the country.

The KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner made the comments on 9 October 2026, while fielding rapid-fire questions about violent unrest that had gripped Durban's central business district the previous day.

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The violence on 8 October 2026 erupted near the Home Affairs Refugee Reception Centre on Che Guevara Road, where protesters had gathered for several days demanding that the office halt asylum applications.

The unrest left 14 vehicles torched in the CBD, shops looted or vandalised, and police firing rubber bullets to disperse crowds. Similar scenes played out in Soweto the same day, where a further 10 vehicles were burned.

General Mkhwanazi flags issues of street dwellers

The KZN Police Commissioner also flagged the role of street dwellers in worsening the destruction.

"In this area, you'll get no less than 500 street kids, people that live on the streets. They took advantage of these cars that were burning by stripping them because they just survive from the street. So, any opportunity they get, they're going to loot," he said.

The protests were partly driven by a Constitutional Court ruling that struck down restrictions preventing people who entered South Africa irregularly, or who missed application deadlines, from seeking asylum.

Home Affairs subsequently issued a directive requiring all offices to accept such applications, which drew large numbers of people to the Durban Refugee Centre.

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The day after the violence, Home Affairs withdrew the directive, citing pressure on offices and risks to public order and staff safety.

How did social media users react?

Social media users reacted strongly to the commissioner's remarks, with many expressing support for his handling of the situation.

@POFFADER said:

"Mkhwanazi will always stand for South Africa."

@Pieces_Crew wrote:

"The only General who speaks sense."

@SimandManzini added:

"Mkhwanazi is just him. Just speaking facts, real ones. They may love to hate him, but the man is him."

@GoosCharly stated:

"I'll always sing this man's praises."

@BalladsBlu said about the investigations into officials:

"It's about time Mr Mkhwanazi."

Phakel’umthakathi calls for calm in Durban

Nkosikhona Phakel’umthakathi Ndabandaba called for calm amid the escalating violence in the Durban Central Business District

Briefly News reported that shops were looted, vehicles torched, and several people were arrested during the unrest.

Speaking from the scene of the chaos, Ndabandaba warned leaders against inciting community members to commit acts of destruction.

Source: Briefly News