S. Africa allegedly abandons refugees

PRETORIA, South Africa, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- About 700 refugees in South Africa who were driven out of their homes by anti-immigrant violence in May have been left without food, an aid group said.

Doctors Without Borders said the refugees are in a camp near Pretoria, the BBC reported.

"The authorities at the Acasia camp have stopped providing food and there is no longer any management in the camp," said Jonathan Whittall, program director for the group. "This is once again an attempt to push people out of the camp and is completely unacceptable."

The South African government closed three camps near Johannesburg this week, ignoring a court order to keep them open. About 1,200 people were living in those camps.

Thousands of people have fled to South Africa from Zimbabwe, Somalia, Ethiopia and other countries racked by civil war and political violence. In May, riots by South Africans angry at the influx displaced 80,000 to 100,000 people.