South Africa's Department of Home Affairs has pulled back a directive on asylum application intake, a move that comes directly in the wake of violent anti-immigration protests that broke out in Durban and Soweto.
The withdrawal puts the government in a delicate position. Officials must still find a way to carry out a Constitutional Court ruling on the matter, all while trying to avoid adding more fuel to already simmering tensions on the ground.
No timeline has been given for how or when the department plans to move forward. For now, the country is watching to see how Home Affairs balances a legal obligation with a very charged public mood.
Originally published by AllAfrica · info@allafrica.com (allAfrica).