Durban Home Affairs Shut Down as ‘March and March’ Disrupts Asylum Queue
The Department of Home Affairs Refugee Reception Centre on Moore Road (Che Guevara Road) has been forced to shut down after members of the anti-illegal immigration group, March and March, took matters into their own hands, turning away hundreds of foreign nationals who had lined up to register for asylum.
The incident, which sparked high anxiety and triggered a heavy law enforcement response, left thousands of asylum seekers stranded on the streets.
Scores of foreign nationals had gathered outside the facility following a recent Constitutional Court judgment and subsequent Home Affairs directives instructing refugee reception offices to open application processes in person.
However, the queue was completely disrupted when activists from the March and March movement descended on the facility.
Demonstrators actively forced individuals out of the queues and blocked the entrance, declaring that “no foreigners” would be permitted to enter the premises.
The group has demanded a total halt to asylum processing, accusing many applicants of being economic migrants rather than genuine refugees.
Members of the March and March movement have remained highly vigilant, maintaining a constant presence outside the offices since yesterday.
Demonstrators reportedly did not sleep, keeping a strict, overnight watch over the area to ensure the building remained inaccessible to applicants.
Public figure and prominent activists Mavava Sikhakhane, Felemntwini Gumede and March and March leader Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma to mention the few were also spotted at the scene late last night.
They spent the night in Moore Road early reassessing the status of the shutdown and monitor the crowd’s progress.
Public Order Police have been heavily deployed to the area after initial clashes saw stun grenades being fired to control the crowd.
While local authorities and the eThekwini Municipality grapple with the ongoing unrest, the Department of Home Affairs operations remain completely halted, with no clear indication of when processing will safely resume.
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