Asylum-seeker misinformation fuelled KZN violence – Ramaphosa

President Cyril Ramaphosa has attributed violence during anti-immigration protests in KwaZulu-Natal to misinformation about a Constitutional Court judgment, as 510 soldiers support police efforts to maintain order.

Eyewitness News reported that the deployment forms part of Operation Prosper, costs about R34 million and runs until 30 November.

In a notice to Parliament dated 21 October, Ramaphosa said misinformation surrounding the judgment had fuelled the unrest. Soldiers would remain available to respond to further incidents.

The controversy concerns the court’s 7 July ruling in the Scalabrini Centre asylum matter and subsequent Home Affairs instructions on processing applications.

According to the government’s explanation, the judgment addressed procedural barriers that prevented some people from having asylum claims assessed, including the absence of an asylum transit visa or failure to meet reporting deadlines.

The inter-ministerial committee on migration stressed that access to the application process did not automatically confer refugee status or permanent residence. Applications must still be assessed against legal requirements.

Home Affairs also rejected claims that the ruling granted citizenship or amounted to blanket legalisation of foreign nationals.

The government acknowledged that implementation had overwhelmed refugee reception offices and created operational difficulties. It urged the public to verify information and reject intimidation and vigilantism.

Sources: Eyewitness News, Babalo Ndenze, 26 October; Department of Home Affairs, 7 October; inter-ministerial committee on migration, 8 October, News 24, 26 October.