South Africa: Stick-Wielding Vigilantes Harass Asylum Seekers

What the report says

GroundUp reported, via AllAfrica, that asylum seekers lining up at the Home Affairs Refugee Reception Centre in Durban were harassed on Tuesday by a group of about 15 anti-immigrant vigilantes. According to the report, several of the group members wore masks and carried sticks or knobkerries, pushed people in the queue and shouted insults before police moved them away from the parking area and later formed a barrier to keep them across the road.

The incident came a day after Home Affairs said all asylum seekers would again be allowed to apply for asylum, ending a six-year closure of the system for new applicants. GroundUp said the long queue included people who had been unable to continue their applications after the service was restricted during the Covid period. By the end of the day, officials had processed only 20 applicants, with the rest told to return the next day.

The report also identified leaders connected to the protest, including Wandile Mhlongo and Xolani Zuma, who said the group wanted Home Affairs to stop processing refugees and focus its resources on South Africans. Some people waiting outside described hardship caused by repeated visits and delays, including lost income and difficulty accessing services. The episode reflects wider tensions over migration and asylum access in South Africa, where the processing system has faced legal and administrative disruption in recent years.