Ramaphosa Deploys Soldiers to KwaZulu-Natal Over Anti-immigrant Violence

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has authorized the deployment of 510 soldiers to KwaZulu-Natal after violence erupted over a Constitutional Court ruling that eased procedural barriers for asylum seekers. The military personnel will support police under Operation Prosper, an existing initiative targeting gang violence and illegal mining, with the deployment to continue through November. The demonstrations, which occurred in October, followed months of rising anti-immigrant tensions. Protesters kicked against the court’s ruling, demanding the deportation of foreigners living illegally in South Africa. In Durban, foreign-owned shops were looted, while police reported that a foreign national was beaten to death during a march. The government attributed the latest unrest to misinformation surrounding the court ruling, which removed procedural barriers for asylum applicants. The intervention comes ahead of South Africa’s November 4 local government elections.