RC 261009Kaya 959DJ Fresh
Friday, 9 October 2026
Asylum-ruling protests dominated the morning, with Home Affairs withdrawing its directive after unrest in Soweto and Durban, alongside a deadly Germiston shack fire that killed four, including three children.
- 07:31
Home Affairs has withdrawn its directive on asylum seeker applications, issued on 28 September after a Constitutional Court ruling on the Refugees Act. The department admits implementation overwhelmed refugee reception officers and raised safety concerns.
- 08:34
Police remain on high alert in Soweto and Durban after vehicles were torched and shops looted in protests against illegal immigration. Acting Police Commissioner Buleng Dempani says 13 criminal cases have been opened.
- 07:03
Four people, including three children aged 2, 5 and 7, died in a fire at the Marathon Informal Settlement in Germiston, which destroyed twelve shacks. The cause is unknown and police are investigating.
- 07:04
Vusimuzi Matlala and co-accused are back in Germiston court in the blue lights corruption case. The state alleges vehicles were registered under the Ekurhuleni metro fleet without the necessary municipal approval.