Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi is coordinating a major police response following violent protests in Durban and Soweto.
The unrest left 24 vehicles destroyed by fire on Thursday, 8 October, prompting authorities to strengthen security operations.
Acting National Police Commissioner Lieutenant-General Puleng Dimpane confirmed Mkhwanazi was leading a meeting involving provincial police commissioners.
Senior officers are assessing the violence and coordinating deployments to prevent further unrest.
Meanwhile, South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers have been patrolling Soweto following clashes between residents and foreign nationals.
Dimpane has also instructed crime intelligence units to intensify their investigations and identify potential threats.
Mkhwanazi Coordinates Police Operations as Tensions Rise
Speaking to the media in Soweto on Thursday night, Dimpane outlined the police response to the escalating unrest.
She said senior commanders were monitoring developments and adjusting their operations according to changing conditions.
Furthermore, the divisional commissioner for Intelligence received instructions to improve intelligence gathering and identify possible threats.
Authorities are also reinforcing Public Order Police deployments in areas facing potential violence.
The measures follow confrontations in Orlando West, Soweto, and Durban’s central business district.
“We have a policing plan in place, and we will continue to adapt our deployments as the situation develops,” Dimpane said.
In Soweto, tensions escalated after residents protested against a Constitutional Court ruling concerning asylum applications.
Demonstrators subsequently targeted foreign-owned spaza shops, with violence spreading along Khumalo Street.
Several vehicles were torched, while individuals reportedly entered shops and removed goods.
Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department spokesperson Xolani Fihla also confirmed reports of gunfire directed towards protesters.
However, police had not identified the person or people responsible for firing the shots.
Army Patrols Soweto as Durban Violence Leaves 14 Vehicles Burned
The military presence in Soweto added another layer to the security response following the clashes.
Meanwhile, similar demonstrations erupted in Durban, where protesters demanded that Home Affairs stop processing asylum applications.
The violence began near the city’s Refugee Reception Centre before spreading into surrounding parts of the central business district.
Police confirmed that demonstrators set 14 vehicles alight in Durban and another 10 in Soweto.
Dimpane also confirmed the arrest of three foreign nationals in KwaZulu-Natal.
However, authorities did not provide a confirmed arrest figure for Soweto during the briefing.
Police have also not established whether organisers coordinated the demonstrations in both cities.
Dimpane warned that officers would pursue anyone responsible for violence, arson or property damage.
“Do not mistake restraint for weakness,” she said.
She stressed that law enforcement would hold offenders accountable regardless of their nationality.
The demonstrations followed a Constitutional Court ruling that removed certain procedural barriers affecting asylum applications.
However, the judgment does not automatically grant asylum seekers refugee status or permanent residence.
The government has urged communities to respect the legal process and avoid further violence.
Meanwhile, police intelligence units and operational teams continue working to contain tensions and prevent additional destruction.
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