Scores of Somalis who were subjected to alleged xenophobic attacks in Worcester last week, are demanding that the government repatriate them to their country.

Crowding the UCT Law Clinic on Thursday the traumatised refugees, among them pregnant women, told the Cape Argus that the looting of their shops by locals in Zwenetemba village in Worcester had left more than 100 of them homeless.

"We ran away from the brutal killings in our country and we will die in our country," said pregnant Abdi Kaluma Hassan, 34, who could not contain tears.

'we are in safe hands, but the truth is we have no place in this world'
"The UN is not protecting us in this country, the South African government lies to the world that we are in safe hands, but the truth is we have no place in this world - nobody cares.

When we were robbed last week the police joined in the looting of our shops, they took money from our Burundian friends, yet we have spent years building businesses in difficult times."

Fellow Somali Ahmed Dakane Omar said if the government did not want to send them home, its should imprison them.

He said the proceeds from their businesses were helping families and friends in Somalia.

"They (locals in Zwenetemba) said they do not want to see foreigners."

When the Cape Argus arrived at the Law Clinic, overwhelmed human rights lawyer Fatima Khan was frantically working out plans for overnight accommodation for dozens of homeless Somalis.

"They lost their documentation and we are working on replacing it," said Khan.

She said police had a duty to protect everyone in the country and her office would lodge charges against them.

Sheik Amir Hussein from the Somali Community Board of the Western Cape, said he would meet Zwenetemba community leaders today.

The looting and subsequent attack on Somalis and other foreigners in Zwenetemba is believed to have been sparked by the alleged killing of a suspected robber by a Somali shop owner