SOUTH African ministers on Thursday angrily dismissed rumours of a possible outbreak of xenophobic violence against migrants and claimed “the same people who rubbished South Africa’s (ability) to host the FIFA World Cup Finals” were fuelling the speculation.

Foreigners, including large numbers of Zimbabweans, are said to be streaming out of South Africa in droves claiming locals were threatening a repeat of the violent attacks on migrants witnessed in 2008.

At least 62 foreigners were killed then and up to 100000 displaced as poor South Africans took out their frustrations over unemployment, housing shortages and other social ills on migrants.

The tensions eased as preparations for the FIFA world cup induced an economic boom in Africa’s largest economy, creating more jobs as stadiums and hotels were built for the tournament.

However with the tournament ending and analysts projecting a contraction in the economy, migrants say they are being warned by locals to leave the country.

Zimbabwean migrants claim that letters are being circulated telling foreigners to be gone by the end of the World Cup Finals.

But South Africa’s police minister Nathi Mthethwa said the locals had demonstrated during the soccer tournament that they were not xenophobic.

Speaking during a media briefing after an inter-ministerial committee meeting on the subject, Mthethwa claimed Zimbabweans leaving the country’s Western Cape region were “seasonal workers going back home”.

"So far, what we are dealing with are rumours (which) people have wittingly or unwittingly spread (thus) fuelling hysteria (over) a possible outbreak,” he said.

Mthethwa said the South African government would not tolerate “any violence, whatever reasons are given to justify such actions”.

“We are assuring everybody who is in South Africa that we are not a banana republic. There’s law enforcement in South Africa and government will do everything in its power with its people to protect everybody in the country,” he said.

Deputy Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba there had not been any reports of threats against migrants adding the rumours were aimed at undermining South Africa’s “success in hosting the World Cup Finals”.

"There have not been any reports that people are leaving because of fears of xenophobic violence," Gigaba said.

Braam Hanekom of PASSOP said there were fears the rumours could become a “self fulfilling prophecy”.

“These rumours have created a highly flammable situation. It will just take one incident in one community to provide that spark that will spread this countrywide,” Hanekom said.

South Africa's liberal immigration and refugee policies have made it a haven for Africans looking for work in the in the country's mines, farms and homes, where they battle for jobs in the country with 25 percent unemployment.

The number of migrants is estimated to be about five million.

At least three million of these are said to be Zimbabwean, most having crossed into the country over the last decade as the economic situation back home worsened.

By Staff reporter and agencies