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Protesters accost asylum seekers and march through Durban CBD

Published

About 100 protesters armed with sticks and sjamboks confronted asylum seekers queuing outside a home affairs refugee office in Durban on Thursday. Police used pepper spray, and the office closed. A scrapyard behind the offices was later set alight.

Police used pepper spray as the group grew unruly. The refugee office closed, and asylum seekers were asked to leave. An unknown group then set tyres and debris alight in a scrapyard behind the offices.

The protesters then marched into the Durban CBD. Other people joined them, including members of the Inkatha Freedom Party on a campaign for awareness of gender-based violence. The march disrupted traffic in Dr Yusuf Dadoo Street and Dr AB Xuma Street.

Key facts

Who
Protesters (armed with sticks and sjamboks, accosted asylum seekers); Asylum seekers (queuing outside home affairs refugee office); Inkatha Freedom Party (members joined the march on a GBV awareness campaign)
What
About 100 protesters armed with sticks and sjamboks accosted asylum seekers queuing outside a home affairs refugee office in Durban on Thursday. Police used pepper spray as the group grew unruly, the office was closed, and asylum seekers were asked to leave. An unknown group then set tyres and debris alight in a scrapyard behind the offices. The protesters then marched into the Durban CBD where…
When
8 October 2026
Where
Berea, Durban, Che Guevara Road, Durban, Durban CBD
Status
Reported

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