South Africa deploys 510 soldiers after anti-migrant unrest

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorised 510 soldiers to support police in KwaZulu-Natal after anti-migrant protests, looting and violence in Durban. The presidency said the deployment forms part of Operation Prosper and runs from 9 October through 30 November at an estimated cost of 34 million rand.

The government linked the unrest to misinformation about a Constitutional Court ruling. The judgment removed procedural barriers that had prevented some people from applying for asylum; it did not create unrestricted immigration or remove the state’s ability to decide claims. Reuters and the Associated Press reported that foreign-owned shops were looted and that police said a foreign national was beaten to death during a march.

The soldiers are assigned to cooperate with the South African Police Service, not to replace it or assume ordinary law-enforcement powers. The presidency said they would remain ready to respond while local elections approach on 4 November. That timing raises the importance of transparent rules of engagement and equal protection for residents, migrants and protesters. The deployment is an official response to documented violence, but it does not by itself establish who spread the false claims or who committed each offence.