Durban: March and March Protests Spark Xenophobic Attacks, Looting

• Durban's city center experienced widespread violence, looting, and vandalism during an anti-immigrant protest on Thursday.
• At least one person was reportedly shot, and multiple individuals, including immigrants and journalists, were assaulted.
• Businesses perceived as immigrant-owned were specifically targeted, with shops looted, vehicles set alight, and a scrap yard burned.
• The unrest followed three days of protests at the Home Affairs Refugee Reception Centre, sparked by a new asylum seeker policy resulting from a Constitutional Court ruling.
• Police acknowledged being stretched thin and struggled to contain the multiple, unplanned violent demonstrations.

The recent Durban xenophobic attacks and associated unrest underscore critical security and operational challenges for businesses, particularly those perceived as immigrant-owned, operating within the city.

Durban's city center was plunged into disarray on Thursday as an anti-immigrant protest escalated into widespread violence, marked by Durban xenophobic attacks, looting, and significant property damage. At approximately 4 pm, an individual was reportedly shot near Dr Pixley KaSeme Street and rushed to the hospital, though their condition remains unconfirmed. GroundUp reporters documented at least two other assaults resulting in injuries, alongside an immigrant man found bleeding from a head wound. The unrest saw multiple vehicles set ablaze and numerous shops ransacked, contributing to a chaotic scene across the urban landscape.

Police response was reportedly stretched, according to KZN SAPS spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda, who initially stated that authorities were unaware of the shooting incident but would issue a statement later. Netshiunda confirmed that one protester had been assaulted and indicated that police were still compiling reports of various incidents throughout the day. He attributed the challenges in managing the situation to the spontaneous nature of some demonstrations, explaining that officers were already deployed to monitor one march when another violent one erupted, leaving resources thinly spread. Metro police officers were observed standing by during the looting and vandalism of a liquor store, with one officer explaining they were instructed to contain the group while awaiting the arrival of SAPS Public Order Police.

The volatile demonstrations on Thursday were the culmination of three consecutive days of protests outside the Home Affairs Refugee Reception Centre in Durban, where groups sought to harass and intimidate asylum seekers and prevent their entry. This surge in activity followed a significant announcement the previous Monday by Home Affairs, which had declared that all asylum seekers would now be able to apply for asylum, thereby ending a six-year moratorium on new applications. This policy shift was a direct consequence of a Constitutional Court asylum seeker ruling issued in July of the current year. However, the directive allowing these applications was subsequently withdrawn by Home Affairs.

While the March and March organization Durban initially denied orchestrating the protest, Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, a representative of the group, addressed the media outside Home Affairs on the morning of the unrest. She asserted the group's right to express dissatisfaction within a democratic framework, stating, "We are here picketing because that’s our right to express our dissatisfaction in our country, and that is what happens in a democracy. As long as we are not harming anyone, we will continue demonstrating until the government finds a way out of this mess." Despite this claim of peaceful intent, the march quickly gained numbers and fragmented into multiple groups after departing the refugee center.

One faction, led by Nkosikhona Ndabandaba, also known as Phakelumthakathi, proceeded towards an IFP rally. Concurrently, a less organized but equally destructive group moved through the city towards Point Road, specifically targeting businesses they suspected were owned by immigrants. These actions directly contributed to the Durban anti-immigrant protest looting and widespread vandalism observed across the city. In some instances, immigrants attempted to defend themselves, retaliating by throwing objects at the advancing protesters.

The recent Durban xenophobic attacks and associated unrest underscore critical security and operational challenges for businesses, particularly those perceived as immigrant-owned, operating within the city. The targeting of specific enterprises, including the burning of a scrap yard and the widespread looting of shops, highlights a significant risk of property damage and business interruption. Lawyers should advise clients in Durban to proactively assess and mitigate these heightened security risks, ensuring robust measures are in place to protect assets and personnel.

Compliance officers must also consider the profound implications for employee safety and operational continuity in such volatile areas. The assaults on individuals, including store owners and journalists, demonstrate the potential for direct harm to staff and disruption to daily operations. The inability of police to effectively contain the initial stages of the violence, as indicated by their stretched resources and the observed inaction of metro police, further emphasizes the need for businesses to develop comprehensive contingency plans for periods of public disorder. The ongoing tension in the city center, even after the immediate events, suggests that these concerns may persist, necessitating vigilance and preparedness from all stakeholders.

Lawyers should advise clients operating businesses in Durban, especially those perceived as immigrant-owned, to assess heightened security risks and potential for property damage or business interruption due to public order unrest. Compliance officers should note the implications for employee safety and operational continuity in volatile areas.

Source: Original reporting via GroundUp.