Cars torched and shops looted as anti-migrant violence erupts in South Africa
South Africa has experienced recurrent outbreaks of violence, often targeting migrants from neighbouring countries.
Cars set alight and shops looted as anti-migrant violence breaks out in South Africa
Police used rubber bullets to break up crowds as businesses stayed closed
At least 24 vehicles have been torched and foreign-owned shops looted in South Africa after anti-immigration protests turned violent in two major cities, police say.
The clashes erupted on Thursday in Soweto, a large township outside Johannesburg, the country’s biggest city, and in Durban, a major port on the east coast.
The unrest comes amid rising anger over a court ruling ordering the government to remove barriers that had stopped some migrants from applying for asylum.
South Africa has seen repeated outbreaks of xenophobic violence, often aimed at migrants from neighbouring countries.
Thursday’s protest turned violent after allegations that a foreign national had assaulted one of the demonstrators in Durban.
Police said three foreign nationals were arrested in connection with the alleged assault.
In Durban, in the eastern province of KwaZulu-Natal, protesters gathered outside a government refugee reception centre, demanding that it stop taking asylum applications.
Police fired rubber bullets to disperse the crowds as businesses in the city centre shut their doors.
"There were clashes between foreign nationals in the area and South African nationals," Xolani Fihla, a senior local police officer, told the SABC.
"At the present moment, I can confirm that no injuries have been reported," he added.
Police said 14 vehicles were torched in Durban and 10 in Soweto, where gunshots were also reported during confrontations between South African residents and foreign shopkeepers.
Acting national police commissioner Lt Gen Puleng Dimpane condemned the destruction of property.
In Orlando West, a Soweto neighbourhood, residents had first gathered to call for the closure of small convenience stores, known locally as spaza shops, run by foreign nationals.
Local media reported that protesters drove foreign traders out of some areas, while shops were attacked and a building was set on fire.
Police said reinforcements had been sent in to stop further violence.
The authorities have promised to go after those responsible for the damage.
The latest unrest follows a July ruling by South Africa’s Constitutional Court, the country’s highest court, which struck down restrictions that had prevented some people from seeking asylum because of how they entered the country or because they missed immigration deadlines.
The judgment means asylum seekers must be allowed to submit applications, even if they entered South Africa without the required documents.
It has led hundreds of people to gather at refugee reception centres, stoking anger among anti-immigration campaigners who fear the decision will encourage undocumented migration.
Government spokesman William Baloyi told Reuters news agency that people had deliberately spread false claims about the ruling, creating the impression that undocumented migrants would automatically be granted legal status.
Baloyi said the ruling does not automatically give migrants refugee status or the right to stay permanently in South Africa.
Officials say applications will still be assessed individually and applicants will remain subject to immigration checks.
Earlier this year, anti-immigration groups staged weeks of demonstrations demanding that undocumented foreign nationals leave the country by 30 June.
The protests forced tens of thousands of migrants to flee, with some returning home through repatriation programmes organised by their governments.
South Africa has faced xenophobic attacks for nearly two decades. In 2008, more than 60 people were killed and tens of thousands displaced during widespread attacks on foreign nationals.
The latest unrest comes against a backdrop of widespread poverty, deep inequality and unemployment affecting roughly a third of the workforce.
Migrants are often accused of taking jobs, contributing to crime and putting pressure on public services, although researchers say such broad claims are not supported by evidence.
Despite its economic difficulties, South Africa remains one of the continent’s main destinations for migrants seeking work, safety and better opportunities.