Thursday's objection turned convulsive pursuing allegations that a overseas nationalist had assaulted 1 of the protesters successful Durban.
Three overseas nationals were arrested successful transportation with the alleged assault, constabulary said.
In Durban, successful the eastbound state of KwaZulu-Natal, protesters gathered extracurricular a authorities exile reception centre demanding that it halt accepting asylum applications.
Police fired rubber bullets to disperse crowds arsenic businesses successful the metropolis centre unopen their doors.
"There were clashes betwixt overseas nationals successful the country and South African nationals," Xolani Fihla, a elder section constabulary officer, told the SABC.
"At the contiguous moment, I tin corroborate that nary injuries person been reported," helium added.
Police said 14 vehicles were torched successful Durban and 10 successful Soweto, wherever gunshots were besides reported during confrontations betwixt South African residents and overseas shopkeepers.
Acting nationalist constabulary commissioner Lt Gen Puleng Dimpane condemned the demolition of property.
In Orlando West, a neighbourhood of Soweto, residents had initially gathered to request the closure of tiny convenience stores, known locally arsenic spaza shops, operated by overseas nationals.
Protesters forced overseas traders retired of immoderate areas, portion shops were attacked and a gathering was acceptable connected fire, section media reported.
Police said reinforcements had been deployed to forestall further violence.
The authorities person promised to prosecute those liable for the destruction.
The latest unrest follows a July ruling by South Africa's Constitutional Court, the country's highest court, which struck down restrictions preventing immoderate radical from seeking asylum due to the fact that of however they entered the state oregon missed migration deadlines.
The judgement means asylum seekers indispensable beryllium allowed to taxable applications, adjacent if they entered South Africa without the required documents.
It has prompted hundreds of radical to stitchery astatine exile reception centres, fuelling choler among anti-immigration campaigners who fearfulness the determination volition promote undocumented migration.
Government spokesperson William Baloyi told Reuters quality bureau that radical had deliberately dispersed mendacious claims astir the judgment, creating the content that undocumented migrants would automatically beryllium granted ineligible status.
Baloyi insisted that the ruling does not automatically springiness migrants exile presumption oregon the close to stay permanently successful South Africa.
Officials accidental applications volition inactive beryllium assessed individually and applicants volition stay taxable to migration checks.
Earlier this year, anti-immigration groups staged weeks of demonstrations demanding that undocumented overseas nationals permission the state by 30 June.
The protests forced tens of thousands of migrants to flee, with immoderate returning location done repatriation programmes organised by their governments.
South Africa has struggled with xenophobic attacks for astir 2 decades. In 2008, much than 60 radical were killed and tens of thousands displaced during wide attacks connected overseas nationals.
The latest unrest comes against a backdrop of wide poverty, heavy inequality and unemployment affecting astir a 3rd of the workforce.
Migrants are often accused of taking jobs, contributing to transgression and placing unit connected nationalist services, though researchers accidental specified sweeping claims are not supported by evidence.
Despite its economical difficulties, South Africa remains 1 of the continent's main destinations for migrants seeking employment, information and amended opportunities.
English (US)·