Cape Town: The United Nations refugee agency donated 2,000 tents to help South Africa shelter foreigners displaced by violent attacks, as critics accused the government of bungling its response.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees also said it would help authorities find sites for temporary camps for an estimated 42,000 people in need of shelter.

"We hope that this initial donation will contribute to alleviating the suffering of displaced people," said Sanda Kimbimbi, UNHCR's regional representative for southern Africa.

Up to 100,000 people fled their homes amid xenophobic attacks that left 56 people dead throughout the country in the last three weeks. Calm has been restored, but many foreigners say they fear returning to communities that chased them out.

The South African government set up a task force to investigate the reasons for the attacks, but has not launched a coordinated relief plan. Task force spokesman Hangwani Mulaudzi said the government needed outside help and advice because the scale and nature of the displacement were unprecedented.

"We are not familiar with such a situation," he said. "It is the first time we are seeing this experience in this country."

South Africa considered the African powerhouse has long been a refuge for people fleeing poverty or violence in other nations on the continent. Up to 3 million Zimbabweans alone are believed to be in South Africa because of the economic meltdown and political repression in their country.

Source : PTI