Anti migrant unrest flares in Durban as crowds loot shops and torch homes

Police in Durban were battling a fresh wave of anti-migrant unrest as crowds took to the streets for a second day, France 24 reported. According to France 24, rioters targeted foreign nationals, torched homes, and looted shops across the city. [1]

The BBC previously reported that cars were torched and shops were looted in Durban and Soweto. The violence has revived widespread fears of rising xenophobic tensions surrounding immigration, France 24 said. [1][6]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, violent demonstrations initially broke out in Durban and Soweto after a court ordered the government to resume processing asylum applications. Reuters reported that South Africa blamed disinformation for the escalating violence, while Al Jazeera noted that the rage stemmed directly from the asylum ruling. [7][8][15]

According to Daily Sabah, South Africa subsequently scrapped the asylum directive following the initial wave of anti-immigrant violence. [10]