Police Clash With Protesters in Durban as Tensions Over Asylum Seeker Applications Continue
- A video of a tense confrontation between police and protesters outside the Durban refugee centre circulated on social media on 10 November 2026
- The footage emerged on the same day Home Affairs launched its new Digital Asylum System, designed to shift asylum registration away from offices
- The unrest followed months of anti-immigration protests, court orders, and a temporary withdrawal of a Home Affairs directive on asylum applications
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Source: Getty Images
Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has spent a decade reporting on South Africa's political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online journalism.
KWAZULU-NATAL — A video capturing a chaotic confrontation between uniformed police officers and protesters outside the Durban Refugee Reception Centre circulated widely on social media on 10 November 2026.
The incident drew renewed attention to the volatile situation surrounding South Africa's asylum application process. The footage, shared on X by @ZANewsFlash, showed a large crowd gathered outside the centre where they clashed with police.
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The confrontation took place against a backdrop of sustained tensions that began after a Constitutional Court ruling in July 2026 struck down provisions of the Refugees Act. The judgment prohibited the automatic deportation of undocumented migrants without first granting them an opportunity to apply for asylum.
When the Department of Home Affairs issued a directive instructing Refugee Reception Offices to accept applications regardless of how an applicant entered the country, facilities across South Africa were immediately overwhelmed by large queues.
The situation was further inflamed by misinformation spreading on social media, falsely claiming that the ruling gave undocumented foreigners automatic citizenship, permanent residency, or voting rights.
Anti-immigration groups mobilised in response, blockading access to reception centres in several cities. In Durban, demonstrators barricaded the local facility, triggering confrontations with authorities and prompting courts to impose restrictions on the protests.
Violence also broke out in some parts of the city, and in Soweto, where foreign-owned shops were looted, vehicles were torched, and property was extensively damaged. Faced with severe security risks and an overburdened system, the department temporarily withdrew its directive.
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Home Affairs goes digital
The 10 November launch of the Digital Asylum System represents the department's attempt to reduce pressure on physical sites and address chronic backlogs.
Under the first phase of the system, asylum seekers can register their intention to apply remotely through a web portal, submitting personal details, supporting documents, and facial biometrics before scheduling an in-person appointment for fingerprint verification.
Home Affairs has been explicit that online registration constitutes a receipt of intention only. It does not confer legal status, permanent residency, or immunity from immigration enforcement.
With the new system officially launched, protesters once again gathered at the centre to protest against the decision.
Home Affairs officials probed over foreigners entering SA
In a related article, General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi announced that police are investigating senior Home Affairs officials over the entry of foreign nationals into South Africa.
Briefly News reported that the comments followed unrest in Durban that left vehicles burned and shops looted following a Home Affairs directive.
The violence erupted near the Refugee Reception Centre after protests over asylum applications, and similar unrest was reported in Soweto.
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Source: Briefly News
