South Africa pause applications from asylum seekers wey be undocumented migrants afta violent protests

Di South African govment on Friday, 9 October, announce say dem dey withdraw one controversial directive wey regard di intake of asylum seeker applications from pipo wey bin enta di kontri illegally.

Di move dey come hours afta violent anti-migrant protests rock some areas of di kontri including for Soweto near Johannesburg and di coastal city of Durban.

Di kontri Home Affairs department tok for one statement say operations bin dey overwhelmed within a mata of days afta di directive bin dey issued, and say govment officials dey at risk.

Dis directive bin come into force on September 28 afta constitutional court ruling say migrants wey bin enta di kontri illegally no suppose dey denied access to di asylum application process.

Di move bin lead to long queues of migrants outside many govment buildings. Migration na big issue for South Africa and di court ruling cause anger among some anti-migrant groups, wey lead to outbreaks of violence.

On Thursday, pipo burn cars and some foreign-owned shops bin dey attacked. Di govment say today U-turn no be political decision and say dem go explore oda ways of honouring di Constitutional Court ruling.

Police tok say dem arrest three foreign nationals wey get connection wit di alleged assault.

For Durban, for di eastern province of KwaZulu-Natal, protesters gada outside one govment refugee reception centre and demand make dem stop accepting asylum applications.

Police fire rubber bullets to disperse di crowd as businesses for di city centre close dia doors.

"Clashes bin dey between foreign nationals for di area and South African nationals," senior local police officer Xolani Fihla tell state broadcaster SABC.

"At di moment, I fit confam say no injuries dey reported," e add.

Police say dem burn 14 vehicles for Durban and 10 for Soweto, and dem hear gunshots for di confrontations between residents and foreign shop owners.

Acting national police commissioner Lt Gen Puleng Dimpane don condemn di destruction of property.

For Orlando West, one area of Soweto, residents first gada to demand di closure of small convenience stores, wey pipo dey locally call spaza shops, operated by foreign nationals.

Protesters force foreign traders comot from some areas, while dem attack shops and set one building on fire, according to local media reports. Police say dem don deploy more officers to prevent further violence.

Di authorities don promise to go afta dose responsible for di destruction.

Wetin cause di unrest?

Di latest unrest dey come afta one July ruling by di Constitutional Court, South Africa highest court, wey cancel restrictions wey prevent some pipo from seeking asylum bicos of how dem enta di kontri or bicos dem miss immigration deadlines.

Di judgment mean say asylum seekers go dey allowed to submit applications, even if dem enta South Africa witout di required documents.

Dis make hundreds of pipo gada for refugee reception centres, increasing anger among anti-immigration campaigners wey fear say di decision go encourage undocumented migration.

Govment tok-tok pesin William Baloyi tell Reuters say some pipo deliberately spread fake news about di judgment, and create di impression say undocumented migrants go automatically get legal status.

Baloyi insist say di ruling no automatically give migrants refugee status or di right to stay permanently for South Africa.

Officials say dem go still assess applications one by one and applicants go still undergo immigration checks.

Earlier dis year, anti-immigration groups organise protests for several weeks and demand make undocumented foreign nationals leave di kontri by 30 June.

Di protests force tens of thousands of migrants to run comot, as some return home through repatriation programmes organised by dia govments.

South Africa don struggle wit xenophobic attacks for nearly twenty years.

For 2008, more dan 60 pipo kpai and tens of thousands bicom displaced during widespread attacks on foreign nationals.

Di latest unrest happun against di backdrop of widespread poverty, deep inequality and unemployment wey dey affect roughly one-third of di workforce.

Pipo often accuse migrants say dem dey take dia jobs, contribute to crime and put pressure on public services, although researchers say evidence no dey to support kain claims.

Despite di economic challenges, South Africa still remain one of Africa major destinations for migrants wey dey seek employment, safety and beta opportunities.