President Cyril Ramaphosa has approved the deployment of 510 South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers to KwaZulu-Natal to help police maintain law and order amid ongoing anti-immigration violence in Durban.

The R34 million deployment, which forms part of Operation Prosper, will run until 30 November and comes after weeks of violent protests that left at least one person dead and businesses looted across the city.

Ramaphosa informed Parliament in writing last week about the deployment. The soldiers will support the South African Police Service and remain on standby for any potential flare-ups.

The deployment follows a request from KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thami Ntuli after violence erupted again in Durban early in October. During the initial outbreak, 14 vehicles were torched, foreign-owned shops were looted, and police used rubber bullets to disperse crowds.

The unrest continued throughout October, culminating in the death of a Ugandan national who was beaten to death during a protest march in central Durban on 22 October. Police arrested five men aged between 19 and 46 for investigation in connection with the murder and attempted murder of foreign nationals.

By 11 October, police had arrested 30 people across the country for public violence, unlawful gathering, obstruction and related offences. Of these, 25 were arrested in KwaZulu-Natal and five in Gauteng, where similar protests took place in Soweto.

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The protests were fuelled by misinformation about a Constitutional Court judgment on asylum applications. Government officials clarified that the judgment restored access to an asylum determination process for certain applicants, but did not grant undocumented migrants automatic refugee status, permanent residence or blanket amnesty.

Authorities have warned that immigration enforcement is the responsibility of the state, not vigilantes, and that peaceful protest rights do not extend to xenophobic violence, looting, arson or attacks on people and property.

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