South Africa withdraws asylum directive after anti-migrant violence

South Africa's Department of Home Affairs said on Friday it had withdrawn a directive allowing the intake of asylum applications, ​a day after anti-migrant protests turned violent in Johannesburg and ‌Durban.

Home Affairs said in a statement ⁠that the directive was issued as an operational measure, and ​the implementation had overwhelmed refugee reception offices within days, put officials ​at risk and led to threats to public safety and order.

The directive had sought to implement a July 7 Constitutional Court ruling that said asylum seekers cannot be denied access to South Africa's ​asylum system solely on procedural grounds, such as entering ​the country illegally.