KZN Police Commissioner Mkhwanazi Addresses Durban Violence After Home Affairs Directive
- KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi spoke publicly in Durban on 9 October 2026 about clashes between South Africans and foreign nationals
- The violence, which saw at least 10 cars set alight, erupted after the Department of Home Affairs issued a directive to begin processing asylum applications
- Mkhwanazi, who was tasked with coordinating the national response to the unrest, attributed the conflict to existing tensions surrounding immigration
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Source: Getty Images
DURBAN — KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Commissioner General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi gave a public address in Durban on 9 October 2026, speaking directly to the violence that gripped the city following the Department of Home Affairs announcing plans to resume the processing of asylum applications.
The unrest resulted in at least 10 vehicles being set alight. The Department subsequently withdrew its directive in the wake of the violence. Mkhwanazi was formally tasked with leading the national response as similar protests spread to other areas, including Soweto.
Mkhwanazi on root cause of violence
Addressing reporters in a street-side interview captured by multiple media outlets, Mkhwanazi said the altercations were rooted in pre-existing community tension rather than a single event.
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"People always fight," he said. "What caused this was the conflict between people, and unfortunately there was a crowd around. And with the tensions of people who were against foreign nationals, and there's a fight between South Africans and foreign nationals, so it's an obvious thing that the majority that are South Africans are going to favor their own countrymen or women, whoever they may be, without necessarily having to investigate who's at fault."
He added that bystanders often react instinctively when they perceive a foreign national as the aggressor, without waiting to establish the full picture.
"The mere fact that they see a foreigner taking one of their own, they're going to respond, but later when they sit down, and they realize they may find that even that foreigner might have acted in self-defense for some sort," Mkhwanazi said.
He confirmed that police had responded to the incidents.
Wider context
The protests in Durban are part of a broader national wave of anti-immigration demonstrations that have emerged in response to government moves to formalise the status of foreign nationals in South Africa. KwaZulu-Natal has been among the provinces most acutely affected, with Mkhwanazi's involvement signalling the seriousness with which authorities are treating the situation.
Watch Commissioner Mkhwanazi's full street-side interview:
Home Affairs officials probed over foreigners entering SA
In a related article, Briefly News reported on Mkhwanazi’s announcement that police are investigating senior Home Affairs officials over the entry of foreign nationals into South Africa. The comments followed unrest in Durban that left vehicles burned and shops looted.
The violence erupted near a refugee reception centre after protests over asylum applications, and similar unrest was reported in Soweto. Home Affairs withdrew its directive requiring offices to accept applications, citing pressure on staff and concerns about public order.
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Source: Briefly News
