On July 7, 2026, the Constitutional Court unanimously ruled that asylum seekers cannot be barred from the asylum system, detained, or deported over procedural errors such as entering the country irregularly or missing the deadlines for reporting at refugee reception offices.
On September 28, Home Affairs directed refugee reception offices to accept applications from everyone seeking protection.
The anti-immigration group March and March blocked offices in protest, and on Thursday, October 8, protests turned violent in both Durban and Soweto.
The next day, Home Affairs withdrew the directive, saying offices had been overwhelmed and officials had been put at risk.
The ruling still stands, and the department says it will start a fresh process to comply. The government blames disinformation for the backlash: the ruling does not grant refugee status or permanent residence despite a social media buzz to the contrary.
For now, it is unclear how people seeking protection can apply.
