Tensions continue to rise in Durban, with some protesters looting foreign owned shops around the Durban city centre, Dr. Pixley KaSeme Street and surrounding side streets.
There are also fresh protests at the corner of Retief Street and Church Street as well as at the Home Affairs office in Pietermaritzburg CBD.
A crowd set alight a house believed to be a brothel in Glenwood.
The South African Police Service (SAPS), Public Order Policing units and Metro Police, were deployed to the area.
Feroz Cachalia, Acting Police Minister said he is satisfied with police response to the anti-immigration protests.
Protest action comes after the Director General (DG) of the Department of Home Affairs withdrew the directive that had been issued by his office on 28 September regarding the intake of asylum seeker applications.
This follows a Constitutional Court outcome the on 7 July in the Scalabrini of Cape Town matter.
The directive was originally issued to all Refugee Reception Offices (RROs) as a purely operational attempt to support the implementation of the Court’s order without reference to, or the knowledge of, the Minister of Home Affairs or any other political office-bearer.
Thulani Mavuso, Spokesperson of the Department of Home Affairs, said the attempt to practically implement the judgement immediately led to serious consequences that could not have been foreseen in the Court order.
“This includes, amongst others, the fact that RRO operations were overwhelmed within a matter of days since the directive was issued, Home Affairs officials were placed at risk, and that serious threats to public safety and order had emerged.”
He also said the Department would embark on a fresh process to determine the most appropriate operational approach to ensure compliance with the Constitutional Court’s order.
Picture: Supplied