Overview
- Home Affairs withdrew the director‑general’s 28 September operational directive on 9 October after long queues at refugee reception offices and violent protests in Soweto and Durban on 8–9 October.
- The Constitutional Court ruled on 7 July that procedural rules cannot bar people from lodging asylum claims, but the judgment did not grant automatic refugee status or permanent residence to applicants.
- The 28 September directive required RROs to accept anyone who reported in person and said they wanted to apply for asylum, but offices were quickly overwhelmed and the department said the measure was issued without ministerial sign‑off.
- Anti‑immigrant disinformation campaigns by groups including March and March escalated tensions, leading to doxxing, threats, looting and reports that about 24 vehicles were set alight during the protests.
- The DHA remains legally bound to implement the court judgment and must now produce a practicable plan to process claims while handling security, staffing shortages and a backlog of asylum appeals that exceeds 160,000.