Mugabe apologises for 'street woman' comment

Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe speaks during the 33rd Southern African Development Community (SADC) Heads of State and Government summit in Lilongwe, on August 18, 2013. PHOTO /AMOS GUMULIRA  AFP

By KITSEPILE NYATHI, NATION CORRESPONDENT in HARARE
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Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has apologised for calling a South African aide a ‘street woman.

Mr Mugabe is said to have been furious with Ms Lindiwe Zulu during his country's election campaigns and told her off.

He is alleged to have called her “some idiotic woman” after she urged him to introduce some reforms before the polls.

The 89 year old leader was so incensed that he told his South African counterpart Jacob Zuma to reign her in, newspaper reports said.

Ms Zulu was the spokesperson for President Jacob Zuma's facilitation team during Zimbabwe's elections in July.

However on Sunday, a dramatic apology was made at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit in Lilongwe, Malawi.

According to reports, President Mugabe first apologised to President Zuma during a closed door meeting at the summit.

He described his counterpart as a patient facilitator saying: “He was handling a difficult matter and we Zimbabweans did not make matters easy.

“We were a very difficult customer to the facilitator – a temperamental one too.

“I even shouted at one of his officers (Ms Zulu). It is not that I hate her or I sought to berate President Zuma through her.

“Quite to the contrary, I love her, something that can make many of you wonder given that I am 89 years old.”

At the end of the meeting, Mr Zuma approached Mr Mugabe with the aide in tow chanting: “Zimbabwe, I want my bride price, Zimbabwe I want my bride price.”

The Herald newspaper wrote: “President Mugabe accepted the ‘bride’ (Ms Zulu) and proceeded to kiss the bride much to the laughter of all the Heads of State and government who were present.”

On his return home, President Mugabe said he was pleased that 14 SADC countries endorsed his re-election.

Zimbabwe has been elected as deputy chair of SADC, which means that Harare will host the 2014 summit of Heads of State and Government.

Mr Morgan Tsvangirai, Zimbabwe's former Prime Minister however claims that the polls were rigged a move that has prompted Botswana to demand an audit.