​“Running Like Headless Chickens” MK Party MP David Skosana Slams Home Affairs U-Turn

An uMkhonto weSizwe Party Member of Parliament has accused the government of running like headless chickens after the Department of Home Affairs suddenly withdrew a directive on asylum seeker applications. David Skosana made the comment following the department’s decision to pull back instructions issued on 28 September that told refugee reception offices to accept applications from people seeking protection.

The directive was meant to put into practice a Constitutional Court judgment handed down in July. That ruling said officials could not turn people away from the asylum system just because they entered the country irregularly, lacked certain papers, or missed a short reporting deadline. Refugee offices were told to receive anyone who arrived in person and said they wanted to apply for asylum, then help them lodge the claim and issue the required visa.

Home Affairs later said the instruction came from the Director-General’s office as a practical step and was not cleared with the Minister or other political leaders. Within days the offices were overwhelmed. Officials reported safety risks, and threats to public order appeared at reception sites. Violent protests linked to the issue broke out in parts of Johannesburg and Durban, with vehicles set alight and businesses damaged.

On Friday the department confirmed the directive had been withdrawn. It said the attempt to apply the court order immediately produced problems that could not have been predicted. Offices could not cope with the numbers, staff were put in danger, and public safety concerns grew quickly. The department rejected claims that the original instruction was politically driven, noting that it had opposed the court case that led to the judgment.

Officials said they will now start a fresh process to find a workable way to meet the Constitutional Court’s requirements. They stressed that the withdrawal does not cancel the judgment, which remains in force. Every applicant must still go through the formal refugee status determination process, and the ruling does not automatically grant anyone the right to stay.

Skosana’s sharp words reflect wider frustration over how the sudden change was handled. The episode has again highlighted the pressure on South Africa’s limited refugee reception capacity and the difficulty of balancing court orders with day-to-day operations and public concerns about migration. Home Affairs has not yet said when new instructions will be issued or what interim steps will apply at the offices.

Source: https://x.com/eNCA/status/2108542692296671253

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