South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs withdraws a directive requiring refugee reception offices to accept and process asylum seeker applications. Multiple outlets report the decision follows violent unrest involving anti-migrant or xenophobic protests in Durban and Soweto, along with claims that the directive contributed to operational strain.

Home Affairs says it will “start from scratch” to develop a more sustainable approach that complies with the requirements of a Constitutional Court ruling. News24 and other South African outlets describe the implementation of the court judgment as overwhelming facilities and producing “serious consequences,” even as the directive itself is withdrawn. Deutsche Welle similarly links the pullback to protests that escalated into chaos.

Outlets outside South Africa frame the move as a reaction to xenophobic clashes in cities including Johannesburg and Durban. Across reports, the common point is that the asylum directive is retracted, while the underlying Constitutional Court judgment is still referenced as remaining in force, with the government indicating it is reassessing how to implement it.