Soweto community members gather outside home affairs office

Community members in Soweto, Johannesburg, have gathered outside the Department of Home Affairs office in Orlando West following the withdrawal of a directive that expanded the intake of asylum seeker applications.

Home Affairs withdrew the directive , which was issued on September 28, following a Constitutional Court ruling in July.

Waving South African flags, residents say they will not allow foreign nationals to be assisted at the office.

Police remain on high alert along Khumalo Street.

JMPD spokesperson Xolani Fihla says the situation is under control .

“We have a heavy police contingent in and around the area and surrounding areas as well, just to monitor and to prevent the events that we saw yesterday.

Currently, we are saying gatherings in and around the vicinity of the home affairs … there is a stricter instruction following yesterday’s incident that this is a red zone.” “So we are trying our best to engage with the protesters.

If they can move at least a few metres away so that the police can continue with their operations.

We’re not denying them the opportunities and constitutional rights to protest, but [we are] saying what happened yesterday [must not happen again],” adds Fihla.- Reporting by Lerato Makola Migration Crisis | Jeppe, MaiMai and George Goch hostel residents take to the streets