Residents of informal settlements in the Boland town of De Doorns on Tuesday said foreigners must leave their valley. However, they added they do not want to resort to violence.

Tensions flared between locals and immigrants at the Stofland informal settlement on the outskirts of the winelands town on Tuesday.

Locals accuse wine farmers in the Hex River Valley of employing Zimbabweans as they are prepared to work for less than the minimum wage.

Police officials escorted approximately 2000 foreigners to the town’s community hall where they spent the night.

A Stofland resident said locals must be looked after first.

“The foreigners are taking food right of our mouthd because people here have been suffering for a long time. They do not have money and work,” he said.

Meanwhile, Zimbabwean foreign national Arnold Sangarwe said he could not go back to his homeland.

“It pains me because in Zimbabwe it is tough and right now we have no place to go,” said Sangaware.