South Africa has pledged to apprehend the perpetrators of the xenophobic attacks that occurred in the country earlier this year.

A statement from the presidency said the country regretted the spate of violence against foreigners, but also said it would address the concerns by South Africans.

"As the Government of South Africa, we have expressed our deep regret at the attacks directed at foreign nationals and our condemnation of all forms of intolerance and acts of violence. We are committed to addressing the genuine concerns of our people around poverty, unemployment, crime, drugs and migration. We are equally committed to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that all those involved in criminal activities, regardless of their nationality, are prosecuted," the statement read in part.

The statement comes after a meeting between President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Nigerian counterpart Muhammadu Buhari in Pretoria on Thursday.

Nigeria recalled its high commissioner in South Africa in September because of the xenophobic attacks which left at least 12 people dead.

The West African state, in addition to condemning the violence, also evacuated some of its citizens from South Africa.

"As governments, we have committed ourselves to creating an enabling environment to for doing business in our respective countries. We have identified key sectors for investment to boost economic growth and development," the statement from South Africa's presidency continued.

Nigeria is South Africa's biggest trade partner in the continent, with flows estimated at $4.5 billion last year compared with $2.9 billion a decade ago, according to Bloomberg.

Nigeria also accounts for 64 percent of South Africa's total trade with the West African Region.

(Information obtained from South African Presidency)