- President Cyril Ramaphosa broke his silence on the Home Affairs asylum directive that triggered violent protests in Durban and Soweto
- The Department of Home Affairs suspended the directive after widespread unrest erupted across South Africa following its announcement
- Ramaphosa insisted the suspension was not contempt of court but a necessary step before proper implementation
Source: Getty Images
SOUTH AFRICA — President Cyril Ramaphosa publicly defended the Department of Home Affairs' decision to suspend a directive that would have opened asylum applications to undocumented foreign nationals, following violent protests that erupted in multiple cities on 12 October 2026.
Speaking in a doorstep interview that Central News posted on X, Ramaphosa acknowledged the unrest that broke out in Durban and in Soweto, Johannesburg, attributing it directly to the Constitutional Court ruling that underpinned the directive.
Home Affairs Directive pulled amid unrest
The Department of Home Affairs had announced that asylum applications would be opened to undocumented foreign nationals living in the country. The announcement prompted immediate backlash, with protests turning violent in Durban before spreading to Soweto and other areas. The directive was subsequently withdrawn, with the department citing safety concerns.
Ramaphosa framed the suspension as a considered and lawful response. "The implementation could have been premature. It needs to be properly assessed and properly interpreted and evaluated," he said. He added that courts do not expect government to implement rulings without first weighing their broader consequences.
"By no means is this contempt of court. We respect our courts. We are governed by a rule of law," the president stated.
He described the suspension as a good move that would calm down the feelings of many South Africans.
Online process continues, critics say
Social media users were quick to dispute the government's characterisation of events. Several commenters alleged that while the in-person application process had been paused, the online process remained active, calling the framing of a full suspension into question.
@Most_HighPower asked:
"What stopped them to act?"
@Faith12281 wrote:
"But the online applications are proceeding what are you saying?"
@owensonO2 said:
"There is no halting of the process. They are moving the process to online application. When will these people stop lying?"
@theflourish_er observed:
"If you look at this man's face, you can clearly see he is lying and this whole issue is making him uncomfortable."
@molukanele10487 wrote:
"No department has suspended this for proper assessment as you say. It has moved online. Still status quo, Rams."
Watch Ramaphosa address the asylum directive suspension:
Security cluster monitoring unrest: Ramaphosa
In a related article, Briefly News reported on Ramaphosa’s response to violent protests in Durban and Soweto, where vehicles were torched and shops looted.
The unrest followed a Home Affairs directive to accept asylum applications after a Constitutional Court ruling, then continued even after the directive was withdrawn. Many South Africans questioned whether the government’s focus on monitoring the situation was enough.
Source: Briefly News
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