Tensions erupted in Durban’s city centre on Thursday morning, turning a normally busy stretch of Dr. Pixley KaSeme Street into a volatile standoff. According to witnesses, a group of foreign nationals—many of whom have been sheltering at the Diakonia Centre, a well-known haven for displaced asylum seekers—found themselves surrounded by a large contingent of MK Party supporters and members of the anti-immigration lobby group March and March. What began as heated verbal accusations quickly escalated into shoving matches and thrown objects, forcing bystanders to scatter for cover. MK Party members, some wearing party regalia, were heard chanting slogans demanding the immediate closure of informal businesses run by foreign nationals, while others accused immigrants of driving crime and unemployment in the area. March and March members allegedly blocked exits near the shelter, preventing easy escape for those inside. Police swiftly responded with an armored vehicle and riot shields, dispersing the crowd with stun grenades and ordering both sides to stand down. No serious injuries were reported, but the incident has reignited fierce debate over xenophobia, political opportunism, and the city’s inability to manage rising anti-immigrant sentiment ahead of local by-elections. The Diakonia Centre has since called for urgent intervention from the Human Rights Commission.
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