Outcry as Mugabe minister calls South Africans 'barbaric'

Relations between Zimbabwe and its main regional backer, South Africa, have deteriorated sharply after President Robert Mugabe's chief spin doctor described South Africans as "filthy, recklessly uncouth and barbaric".

Jonathan Moyo, Zimbabwe's Information Minister, delivered his unprecedented attack after the South African Sunday Times newspaper exposed a two-week spending spree by the minister in Johannesburg while the majority of Zimbabweans are facing starvation and unable to find the most basic commodities.

The story in last week's paper infuriated Mr Moyo who, in his blistering response in the state-controlled Herald newspaper in Zimbabwe, implied that President Thabo Mbeki was not fit to lead the new economic recovery deal, known as African Renaissance.

President Mbeki has angered many around the world for continuing to back Mr Mugabe despite South Africa's enormous leverage against the 78-year-old tyrant. The main opposition in Zimbabwe accused Mr Mbeki of being "dishonest" and "hypocritical" yesterday for his perceived timidity in dealing with Mr Mugabe. Mr Mbeki's spokesman described the opposition's remarks as incoherent.

South Africa was so stunned by Mr Moyo's comments that the Zimbabwean high commissioner in Pretoria was formally summoned and asked for an explanation. President Mugabe is understood to have reprimanded Mr Moyo for the attack, which comes ahead of a Commonwealth meeting in March which is due to decide whether to take further action against Mr Mugabe. Last year a "troika" – comprising Mr Mbeki, the Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, and the Nigerian leader, Olusegun Obasanjo – suspended Zimbabwe from the councils of the Commonwealth for one year after a Commonwealth observer mission ruled that Mr Mugabe had stolen the March 2001 presidential election. Mr Mbeki told the South African parliament last week that the troika's mandate to deal with Zimbabwe had expired.

The Zimbabwe Foreign Ministry released a statement saying it was concerned about suggestions that Mr Moyo had criticised Mr Mbeki. "Nothing could be further from the truth," the ministry said. "His criticism and anger was not directed at the people of South Africa nor, indeed, President Mbeki. It was directed only at the Sunday Times journalists concerned." The statement continued: "The Zimbabwe government respects and supports the role and efforts of President Mbeki to bring about the dawn of a new Africa and is happy and confident that he has the attributes to fulfil his role and achieve his dream."

But despite the statement, reports in South Africa said Mr Mbeki remained deeply angered by Mr Moyo's remarks.

In The Herald, Mr Moyo suggested South Africa was not a good holiday destination. "I have always had a nagging feeling that for all their propensity to liberal values and civilised norms, these people are dirty. In fact, they are filthy and recklessly uncouth," he said.