The Department of Home Affairs plans to introduce a new asylum registration system by 10 November, as the government prepares to ask the courts for more time to comply with a Constitutional Court ruling.

The government plans to ask the courts for more time to implement a Constitutional Court judgment that removed procedural barriers to asylum applications, with Home Affairs preparing a new registration system, which is expected to be introduced by 10 November.

Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi announced the plans on Sunday, 11 October, saying the government had received legal advice that it could seek a supervisory order from the courts to guide implementation of the judgment. The government may also ask for a suspension period to give Home Affairs time to build the capacity needed to comply.

The announcement comes after anti-foreigner protests in Durban and Soweto turned violent this week. Vehicles were torched, shops were looted and people were injured.

Kubayi said 30 people had been arrested since Thursday - 25 in KwaZulu-Natal and five in Gauteng. The alleged offences included public violence, illegal gathering, obstruction and resisting arrest.

While condemning protests that result in looting and intimidation, Kubayi also raised concerns about the growing spread of inflammatory and misleading content online.

She said freedom of expression is constitutionally protected, but warned that incitement to violence, intimidation, hate speech and criminal conduct are not protected and would not be tolerated....