THE African Christian Democratic Party has challenged former South African apartheid refugees to speak out against xenophobia.

ACDP president Kenneth Meshoe condemned the latest xenophobic attacks on Zimbabweans in Westernburg, Polokwane.

Six Zimbabweans were brutally assaulted in Westernburg during the attack on Monday.

They sustained serious injuries and were admitted to Polokwane Provincial Hospital for treatment.

Meshoe said it was totally unacceptable to attack an entire community if one member of that community was accused of a crime.

"The ACDP agrees that there are some Zimbabwean nationals committing crime in this country - equally so, there are many (SA citizens) committing crime in this country too," he said.

Meshoe said if the government did not start ensuring that the perpetrators of attacks were prosecuted, the practice would go on.

He said it was ironic that the attacks in Limpopo took place on the day President Rupiah Banda of Zambia gave President Jacob Zuma their highest honour.