Johannesburg – The Director-General of the Department of Home Affairs has announced the withdrawal of the directive issued earlier regarding the intake of asylum-seeker applications.
The move follows a day of violent protests in Durban and Soweto over the implementation of the judgment of the Constitutional Court on 7 July, ruling that any foreign national can apply for asylum even if they entered South Africa illegally.
At least 24 cars were set alight in Durban and Soweto.
RELATED: Asylum Protests Turn Violent: At Least 24 Cars Torched In Durban And Soweto – The Bulrushes
In a statement made available to The Bulrushes, on Friday 9 October 2026, the Director-General said: “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”.
The statement added: “Claims that it was a politically-motivated decision are therefore categorically untrue, as the directive emanated from a Constitutional Court case that the Department had opposed.
“However, the attempt to practically implement the judgment 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.
“With these new facts now at hand, the department will embark on a fresh process to determine the most appropriate operational approach to ensure compliance with the Constitutional Court’s order.”
The statement said the department reaffirms its respect for the judiciary and the rule of law, as well as its commitment to determine an operationally appropriate and sustainable method to comply with the order.
