JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - At least two people were killed and foreign-owned shops were looted in the South African township of Soweto on Wednesday, police said.

Anti-immigrant violence has flared sporadically in South Africa against a background of high unemployment, with foreigners accused of taking jobs from South Africans and getting involved in crime.

One person was shot dead and another wounded, police said, but it was not yet clear who was responsible or what started the unrest.

A second person was found dead with a stab wound, but police could not confirm if the death was related to the other incident.

“We will be there to make sure there is stability in the area and no more crimes are committed,” police spokesman for Gauteng, Lieutenant Colonel Lungelo Dlamini, said.

He added that the situation had calmed.

A number of shops in Soweto are owned by nationals of other African nations including Somalis and Ethiopians, and also Pakistanis and Bangladeshis. In recent years, Zimbabwean and Mozambican migrants have also been the target of attacks.