Johannesburg, Sep 11 (AP) A group of Nigerians have boarded a free flight from Johannesburg to Lagos, following a week of violence targeting foreigners in South Africa that stoked tensions between Africa's two largest economies.

It was not immediately clear how many people were on board the flight, operated by private Nigerian airline Air Peace, but Nigeria's government said it estimated 313 people would board.

In total, 640 Nigerians living in South Africa had registered at Nigerian missions to take the flights offered by the airline after bands of South Africans launched violent attacks against foreign-owned shops and stalls, looting and burning the small businesses and attacking some shopkeepers. A second flight leaves later this week.

The violence killed 12 people. Police arrested more than 700 people amid the attacks spread across Gauteng province. (AP) MRJ 09112048 NNNNa Saath Sabka Vikas'. By increasing taxable income to Rs 5 Lakh, the household income of middle class will further improve. FM has also targeted to rejuvenate all the leading rivers of India within next 10 years. We are confident to complete it within the given timeline.

Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra:

I was bracing for a populist,profligate budget driven by ‘election panic.' I'm just grateful that the reliefs to the key middle class & farmer segments were delivered in a measured way without risking bankruptcy of the economy. This was a controlled, pump-priming exercise...

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)