JOHANNESBURG, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- Xenophobic violence in South Africa has flared up again with mob attacks on Somali people in the Western Cape province, police said on Tuesday.

Western Cape police fired rubber bullets to disperse about 400 residents in Riviersonderend, 160 km from Cape Town, who went on arampage, attacking and looting shops owned by Somali nationals on Monday.

"Residents were angry because police had found a body of a 20-year-old in the bushes. The man was reported missing in December and was last seen with Somalis," Police Inspector November Filander said on Tuesday.

The residents mobilized and submitted a request for a march, but the municipality denied them permission. Residents went ahead anyway and police intervened when the march turned violent and the locals started looting Somali-owned shops at 8:00 p.m. on Monday.

Police fired rubber bullets at the crowd, injuring one person. A 30-year-old woman was arrested for public violence.

About 20 Somali nationals fled to the local police station for refuge.

Police managed to calm the situation down at 10:00 p.m. and they kept a strong presence in the area, securing shops owned by Somalis.

On Tuesday morning, the Somalis moved to neighboring areas, police said.