HARARE, June 17 (Xinhua) -- At least 2,200 Zimbabweans affected by anti-migrant violence in South Africa last month are awaiting State assistance to return home, a senior Government official has said.

    Secretary for Foreign Affairs Joey Bimha said the government would continue assisting Zimbabweans affected by the xenophobic attacks until all citizens who require help have returned home, The Herald reported on Tuesday.

    In a statement on Monday, Bimha said the government has so far assisted 575 citizens under the first phase of the repatriation program, which started early this month. "Government will also continue to provide such assistance until all our nationals who need assistance are repatriated back home. Presently, it is estimated that in Cape Town and Durban, there are at least 2,200 people awaiting voluntary repatriation."

    Bimha said the government was pleased with the smooth execution of the second phase of the repatriation. "The second phase of the repatriation exercise is proceeding smoothly and the government continues to provide additional assistance in the form of blankets and related essentials to the affected people."

    He thanked the South African government for its continued co-operation in the repatriation of Zimbabweans.

    The violent attacks, which started in Alexandra just outside Johannesburg on May 11 before spreading to other parts of South Africa, left a total of 65 people dead, 12 of them Zimbabweans.

    The Zimbabwean government has said the assistance of its citizens affected by the violence in South Africa will be a continuous process.

    The situation in South Africa is, however, almost back to normal as the violence has subsided, except in a few isolated pockets.

    According to official figures, at least 23 Mozambicans were killed in the wave of attacks that left hundreds of foreigners injured and thousands displaced. Latest figures, however, showed that among those killed in the attacks were 25 South Africans, presumably mistaken for foreigners. Among those affected were immigrants from Malawi, Somalia and Nigeria.