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Deadly attacks on foreigners in South African townships may hurt the country's bid to host a successful 2010 soccer World Cup, the South African Football Association's (SAFA) chief executive said on Tuesday.

Raymond Hack said he hoped the attacks, which have killed at least 24 people, would not impact on the World Cup.

"You know attacks like this...are very sad for football, are very sad for the country," Hack told Reuters. "So we need to ensure that it (the violence) is brought to an end as quickly as possible".

Rioting mobs have been attacking foreigners with knives and stones, raping women and burning shops and homes to the ground in shantytowns around Johannesburg since May 11.

Thousands of African immigrants have sought shelter in churches, police stations and community centres.

The attacks on foreigners have exacerbated concerns that high levels of violent crime coupled with poor infrastructure and a dire electricity crisis could prompt Europeans and other foreigners to watch the World Cup games from home.

"(The) majority of the public here love football," Hack said.

"Football is one sport where there hasn't been any divisions irrespective of your race, religion, colour or where you come from. It's a game played by the people for the people."

South Africa, the first African nation to host the World Cup, is spending billions of dollars to build new stadiums and upgrade a creaky transportation system and other infrastructure.

The country attracted 8.4 million visitors last year and is aiming to have 10 million by 2010.

"We are extremely concerned about the potential impact of these attacks on 2010 but also tourism growth in general," chief executive of South African Tourism, Moeketsi Mosola, told Reuters.

Local World Cup organisers have dismissed persistent reports that soccer's world governing body FIFA is considering stripping South Africa of the tournament. FIFA officials have denied that they are considering such a move.

South Africa's government has said it is confident it will have crime under control by the time the tournament begins.

"It (the violence) has no relation to 2010. I hope that long before that we will deal with it," deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Aziz Pahad told reporters at a media briefing in Pretoria.

(Source: Reuters)