The South African Police Service (SAPS) is taking steps to contain the unrest in Soweto and Durban, with the Acting National Commissioner, Lieutenant General Puleng Dimpane, set to visit Soweto on Thursday evening to assess the security situation. Dimpane will evaluate police deployments in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, as well as other potential hotspots, and outline measures to maintain law and order. The visit comes amid heightened law-enforcement activity in parts of the country.
In Durban, police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda reported that a protest against Gender-Based Violence in the Durban CBD turned violent after a group marching down Dr Pixley kaSeme Street was allegedly assaulted by a foreign national, resulting in a broken leg. The group became angry, and violence erupted, with 14 vehicles torched during the protest. Three foreign nationals were arrested for the assault, and a lodge building and a warehouse were partially burnt.
Meanwhile, in Soweto, angry residents in Orlando West allegedly set fire to vehicles belonging to foreign nationals who attacked protesting residents. Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) Superintendent Xolani Fihla initially reported that nine vehicles were set alight, but police later confirmed that 10 cars were reduced to ashes. The clashes between South Africans and foreign nationals ignited the protest, with allegations that gunshots were fired against the South African protesters.
The situation in Soweto remains tense, with no injuries reported. An Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Migration met on Wednesday night to outline measures to strengthen South Africa's asylum system and broader migration management. The meeting followed a Constitutional Court judgment that expanded access to the asylum determination process, resulting in a significant increase in people seeking to lodge asylum applications.
Activist Nkosinathi Ndabandaba called for calm in the Durban CBD, urging the crowd not to break the law despite their frustrations. However, his message came too late, as shops were looted and foreign nationals were already attacked. Mobs of men walked around the side streets, damaging shops and setting alight a building on Joseph Nduli Street.
The violence has resulted in a total of 24 vehicles being torched, with 14 in Durban and 10 in Soweto. The SAPS has assured that it is working to maintain law and order and protect communities. Lieutenant General Dimpane's visit to Soweto is expected to provide an update on the operational measures being implemented to address the security threats.
The government has announced plans to strengthen South Africa's asylum system and migration management, following the Constitutional Court judgment. The measures aim to address the operational impact of the judgment, which has resulted in a significant increase in people seeking to lodge asylum applications. The SAPS and other law enforcement agencies will continue to monitor the situation and take steps to prevent further violence.
Key points
- 24 vehicles were torched in Soweto and Durban amid clashes between locals and foreign nationals.
- The SAPS is taking steps to contain the unrest, with the Acting National Commissioner visiting Soweto to assess the security situation.
- The government has announced plans to strengthen South Africa's asylum system and migration management.
