Thabo Mbeki, the president of South Africa, has apologised for the recent xenophobic violence in the country and said that it must never be repeated.

Mbeki spoke on Thursday at a ceremony in honour of the 62 people who died in the violence in May.

He said that the nation's citizens have their heads "bowed in shame" and will work to ensure that those who fled the violence can resume their lives in South Africa.

The ceremony was organised by the government.

Tens of thousands of people, mostly migrants, were displaced during the violence. Thousands have returned to their home nations, such as Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

About 13,000 remain in refuge camps set up by the government, which has been criticised for doing too little to help victims.

The government has said that the camps will be closed by the end of July.

Kalay Maistry, Al Jazeera's correspondent at the Ramaphosa settlement in South Africafrom where many people fled violence, said that the government was doing little more to placate the anger some South Africans have towards foreigners.

Maistry said that the majority of those targeted in the violence do not yet feel safe enough to return to their homes.

Emma Macave, a camp resident, told her: "How can you live where you don't feel safe? The person behind you could attack you."

The violence in May pitted poor South Africans against poor migrants. The locals accused migrants of taking scarce jobs and housing from them.