--- title: "Anti-immigrant mob threatens to burn women and children in Pretoria" description: "Home Affairs has backtracked on reopening the asylum system after violent clashes in various cities. In Pretoria, anti-foreigner groups made violent threats before they were dispersed." type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "GROUNDUP" author: "Seth Thorne, Joseph Bracken, Tsoanelo Sefoloko and Joseph Chirume" author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/seth-thorne-joseph-bracken-tsoanelo-sefoloko-and-joseph-chirume/" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026-10-09-anti-immigrant-mob-threatens-to-burn-women-and-children-in-pretoria/" published: "2026-10-09T18:39:09" updated: "2026-10-09T18:39:15" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 1047 --- # Anti-immigrant mob threatens to burn women and children in Pretoria > Home Affairs has backtracked on reopening the asylum system after violent clashes in various cities. In Pretoria, anti-foreigner groups made violent threats before they were dispersed. By Seth Thorne, Joseph Bracken, Tsoanelo Sefoloko and Joseph Chirume · Published 9 October 2026, 20:39 SAST · Updated 9 October 2026, 20:39 SAST ## Content “Your time is up! We will lock you in your shops and set them on fire,” anti-immigrant protesters, armed with sticks and sjamboks, told immigrant shopkeepers, mainly women and their children, in Pretoria on Friday, 9 October. Anti-immigrant groups, including March and March, Operation Dudula and the United Progressive People’s Alliance Party, gathered outside the Refugee Reception Office in Marabastad. “We are staying here until the Home Affairs staff leave and make sure no immigrant accesses the services. We will be back on Monday and every day after that until they change this policy,” said Operation Dudula’s Tsaka Tsepedi. Immigrants were chased, water bottles were thrown at them, and they were spat at. The police stood by and did not intervene. “Some of the police support our cause as they are part of our community,” claimed one of the protesters. Later on, the crowd moved to Luttig Street, where many shops are run by immigrants. About 20 people, some carrying sticks and sjamboks, went around forcing the owners to close the stores. Some residents, including South Africans, tried to defend the immigrant shop owners. The situation became more volatile, with threats of physical harm and death hurled at the immigrants and their children if they “did not leave the country”. During this altercation, GroundUp reporter Seth Thorne’s phone was taken out of his hand. He was slapped on the face several times. He was told he should not take photographs of the protesters. The crowd dispersed when four police officers arrived to separate the protesters and shop owners. Police officers told GroundUp that there had been several demonstrations at the Refugee Reception Office over the past few days, but this was the first time shops had been forced to close. There were long lines outside Refugee Reception Offices across the country this week after Home Affairs announced its offices would start accepting new asylum applications again in line with a [Constitutional Court ruling](https://groundup.org.za/article/asylum-system-reopens-after-concourt-judgment/) in July. ![GU-mobs-children](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/BCq0GoN9eSsom8o_nCdJXCqiJiY=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/attachments/orphans/unnamed9_751109.png) *Protesters, some armed with sticks and sjamboks, harass immigrants in Pretoria on Friday. Photo: Seth Thorne* Online misinformation, including that the court ruling guaranteed all applicants asylum and those granted asylum would be able to vote in the upcoming election, contributed to these groups harassing asylum seekers at the offices. On Friday, protesters also gathered at the Constitutional Court in Johannesburg and set a car alight. They reportedly tried to enter the court building. The oversubscription of refugee offices this week, and the anti-immigrant violence seen at many offices, forced Home Affairs to close its offices. “The 28 September directive has led to unintended consequences, noting national interest, security considerations and its impracticality in terms of operationalisation by Refugee Reception Offices,” an internal Home Affairs memorandum stated. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber was reportedly [unaware](https://mg.co.za/news/south-africa/2026-10-09-home-affairs-withdraws-asylum-directive-as-schreiber-defends-reversal/)of the directive to reopen asylum offices. ![GU-mobs-children](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/4fmsjsgNf-3KrV8hwG96HjC-c1M=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/attachments/orphans/unnamed2_639985.jpg) *An immigrant-owned shop in Durban that was burned on Thursday. Photo: Tsoanelo Sefoloko* ### Aftermath of Durban violence Fourteen cars were [set alight in Durban](https://groundup.org.za/article/one-person-reportedly-shot-and-several-cars-torched-in-durban-protest/) on Thursday as hundreds of people, including March and March members and affiliated groups, targetd people they suspected of being immigrants. The group vandalised and looted stores as they marched. On Friday morning, many shops remained closed. Some had been burned or looted. Abed Khan, who owns a business in the Durban CBD, said March and March needed to be dismantled because “it’s going to bring nothing but hunger in this country”. He added that businesses owned by immigrants employ many people. “Only the government can put an end to the March and March madness,” said Khan. ![GU-mobs-children](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/47MvzP30ow55g2EzVhUuSac-Wdk=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/attachments/orphans/unnamed3_302711.jpg) *14 cars were burned in Durban during a riot on Thursday. Photo: Tsoanelo Sefoloko* Samuel Michael, who owns several businesses around Durban, had two of his shops on Gillespie Street vandalised. The group smashed his doors and windows while trying to gain entry, he said. “I’ve been here for 24 years. My wife and son are both South African,” said Michael, who originally comes from Nigeria. A liquor store near the beachfront, owned by Vinay Maharaj, was also vandalised. He told GroundUp that the shop has been in there for 20 years. Maharaj, who is South African, said he only hires South Africans. He believes his store was targeted simply so the group could steal alcohol. “It was unlawful lawlessness. The behaviour was terrible.” ![GU-mobs-children](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/1xSf0oWBjdXXTrbRumYlqA73DqI=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/attachments/orphans/unnamed4_273275.jpg) *Acting police minister Firoz Cachalia in Durban on Friday. Photo: Joseph Bracken* Acting police minister Firoz Cachalia addressed the media in front of a burnt-out car on Dr Pixley KaSeme Street. Cachalia said the government agreed with South Africans that illegal immigration is a crime that must be dealt with. “Our people have an entirely legitimate right to protest. Our people’s grievances about illegal immigration are entirely well-founded,” said Cachalia. But he called the actions of arson during protests on Thursday “self-destructive behaviour”. “If we’re all law-abiding, we can make a lot more progress in our country.” Cachalia also commented on the Constitutional Court case that led to the reopening of the asylum system. “We were waiting for a legal opinion about whether we can make an application to the Constitutional Court … to adjust their order, to take into account the administrative difficulties that are now being created but not anticipated by the court.” ![GU-mobs-children](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/ChL4u80X9mbUSByc15wu2fLk7FI=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/attachments/orphans/unnamed5_358513.jpg) *An immigrant-owned barber shop’s window was smashed on Thursday. Photo: Joseph Bracken* ### Immigration activists react The Scalabrini Centre of Cape Town, which brought the Constitutional Court case that led to the reopening of the asylum system this week, said it has taken a decision not to speak to the media due to safety concerns. Chris Mapingure, chairman of the Zimbabwe Migrants Support Network, said the government should revert to online applications to avoid confrontation between xenophobic groups and asylum seekers. “I am so shocked to hear that Home Affairs has reversed the original decision on new asylum seeker applications. This will continue to promote the arrest of undocumented people seeking refuge in South Africa. We are going to push for online applications,” he said. Dale McKinley of Kopanang Africa Against Xenophobia said the government has bowed to pressure from March and March. He said the government is unprepared and unable to deal with the situation. “Suspending the implementation of the directive leaves all asylum seekers in limbo. That is the bottom line,” he said. **DM** *First published by*[***GroundUp***](https://groundup.org.za/article/we-will-lock-you-in-your-shops-set-them-on-fire-protesters-tell-women-children/)*.* ![Image](https://counter.groundup.org.za/pixels/17279_e_we-will-lock-you-in-your-shops-set-them-on-fire-protesters-tell-women-children.gif)