South Africa's Department of Home Affairs said on Friday it had withdrawn a directive allowing the intake of asylum applications, a day after anti-migrant protests turned violent in Johannesburg and Durban.
The directive had sought to implement a July 7 Constitutional Court ruling that said asylum seekers cannot be denied access to South Africa's asylum system solely on procedural grounds, such as entering the country illegally, Reuters reported.
Home Affairs said in a statement that the directive was issued as an operational measure, and the implementation had overwhelmed refugee reception offices within days, put officials at risk and led to threats to public safety and order.
The government has blamed disinformation over the court's ruling, adding that it did not automatically grant refugee status, permanent residence or other legal rights to undocumented migrants.
Africa's biggest economy grapples with a surge in anti-immigrant protests that have strained relations with other African countries and forced thousands of foreign nationals to leave.
Migrants are often blamed for unemployment, crime and pressure on public services, accusations that social scientists say are unsupported by evidence.
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