South Africa withdraws asylum directive after anti-migrant violence

South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has withdrawn a directive allowing asylum applications following anti-migrant protests that turned violent in Johannesburg and Durban.
The department announced the withdrawal on Friday, a day after protesters torched vehicles and looted foreign-owned shops in the two cities.
The directive was intended to implement a July 7 Constitutional Court ruling that asylum seekers could not be denied access to the country’s asylum system solely on procedural grounds, including entering the country illegally.
The department said the directive was introduced as an operational measure but overwhelmed refugee reception offices within days, putting official...