Cars burned and shops looted as anti-immigration protests rock South Africa

Loading the video No Comment Video. Cars burned and shops looted as anti-immigration protests rock South Africa Copy/paste the link below: Copy/paste the article video embed link below: Updated: 09/10/2026 - 9:50 GMT+2 South Africa saw violent anti-immigration protests in Soweto and Durban on Thursday, 8 October, after a Constitutional Court ruling eased restrictions on asylum applications. Police said 10 vehicles were set alight during clashes in Soweto, near a Home Affairs office in Orlando West, Johannesburg. Shops owned by foreign nationals were also looted, while firefighters tackled burning cars and police closed nearby roads. Similar unrest broke out in Durban, where riot police were deployed after reports of looting and vehicle fires; police said 14 vehicles were torched there. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The violence followed a July Constitutional Court ruling removing barriers that prevented some migrants from applying for asylum, including those who entered South Africa irregularly. Authorities said refugee reception offices had been overwhelmed by applicants. The government pledged to expand processing capacity and strengthen identity checks, stressing that the ruling did not automatically grant refugee status. Police reported no injuries in Soweto and warned that those responsible for violence and destruction would face prosecution. South Africa Johannesburg asylum seekers Immigration Migration Policy Durban South Africa Top stories Now playing Next Cars burned and shops looted as anti-immigration protests rock South Africa Now playing Next Chile: Santiago flooding turns streets to rivers as Kast declares state of catastrophe Now playing Next Deadly floods sweep Albania and Montenegro as rivers burst banks Now playing Next Latest news bulletin | October 9th, 2026 – Morning Now playing Next 'Modern-day Thomas Edison': Trump awards Musk top US science medal Now playing Next Hundreds of farmers rally in Paris against EU-Mercosur pact and import fears Now playing Next Fire rages at Yandex data centre after Ukraine drone attack Now playing Next Trump mocks Sheinbaum over Gulf of Mexico and imitates her alleged reaction: 'No, no, please' Now playing Next Rubio urges Europe to wake up as EU trade chief begins key China trip Now playing Next Inside Kazakhstan’s rock-hewn mosques now recognised by UNESCO In partnership with MDQ Now playing Next 87-year-old Maricarmen dies in hospital after infamous eviction ordeal Now playing Next Maricarmen, symbol of Spain's housing protests, dies Now playing Next Latest attacks on Ukraine are ‘war crimes done by Putin’, says Ukrainian politician Now playing Next Rima Hassan denies throwing the EU flag to the floor at 7 October commemoration Now playing Next Europe Today: French students 'retake Bastille', Trump 'unwilling' to help Ukraine Now playing Next ‘We will continue’: Madrid protesters pay tribute to 87-year-old woman ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT No Comment Tiny turtles take their first steps towards the sea No Comment Heavy autumn snow paralyses roads in Russia’s Far East No Comment French students clash with police as school protests continue No Comment Manny Pacquiao hosts Polish president Karol Nawrocki for Manila boxing workout Sport Tsunoda Claims World Gold as Murao Retains His Title in Baku Europe News Mélenchon declares ‘Bastille retaken’ after major student rally in Paris Europe News Marco Rubio calls Portugal 'ideal gateway' to Europe for US during Lisbon visit Azerbaijan Experts in Baku urge action as missing persons surge worldwide and in Ukraine Culture news Michael Jackson memorabilia including iconic Thriller jacket to go under the hammer Europe News EU presses Russia for more details on suspected plague case Business Series From oil to renewables: this country's energy giant looks beyond its borders Tech News Kazakhstan seeks to build an AI-powered economy and manufacturing sector ADVERTISEMENT Art Pink hair and powerful plaids: Tate Britain celebrates the chaotic creativity of 90s culture Europe News Fresh day of student protests across France as rally planned in Paris Culture news Canadian poet Anne Carson wins 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature Tech News Tallinn Airport lets driverless shuttles run close to airplanes, opening the way to wider airport automation World News “I settled eight wars”: Trump says he deserves Nobel Peace Prize Food and Drink This Serbian cafe lets you enjoy your coffee alongside alpacas No Comment Jonathan the tortoise, the world’s oldest living land animal No Comment Dry wells and shrinking water holes as drought grips Sri Lanka ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT