THE United Nations' Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights has dispatched its special investigator to probe xenophobic tendencies in South Africa.

The visit by UN special rapporteur on human rights of migrants Jorge Bustamante was prompted by incidences of xenophobic violence that plagued the country in 2008, resulting in the death of 60 people.

Following a "fruitful" meeting with Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa in Pretoria yesterday, Bustamante said the purpose of his visit was to find out what the government and the civil society were doing to protect the human rights of immigrants.

Bustamante is scheduled to meet with senior officials from government departments, including home affairs, social development and correctional services departments.

He would not take questions about his mission because "it is not customary to make reference to what I have listened to until at the very end of my stay".

Bustamante added that yesterday was his second day at work and would only be able to take questions next week Tuesday.

He emphasised that he was not here to judge or prescribe.

In July last year the army was deployed to Ramaphosa informal settlement on the East Rand following rumours that locals were planning to attack foreign nationals at the end of the Fifa Soccer World Cup.

Ramaphosa informal settlement, near Reiger Park in Boksburg, made international headlines in 2008 after the gruesome killing of Mozambican immigrant Ernesto Alfabeto Nhamuave, who was set alight.

Mthethwa reiterated the government's stance that South Africans were not xenophobic but added that wherever there were migrants you find situations of anti-foreign sentiments.

He said they were grateful that there was a UN delegation wanting to hear their side of the story and how the government viewed the problem of xenophobia.