Grace Mugabe still in South Africa after assault case

Police in South Africa have confirmed that Zimbabwe's first lady, Grace Mugabe remains in South Africa after days of speculation over her whereabouts. 

The country's police minister Fikile Mbulula said police had put a "red alert" on South Africa's borders to stop her from trying to leave.

"We had already put tabs on the borders, in relation to her leaving the country, so there's no question about that," he told reporters.

So far she had made no attempt to flee, he added.

The 52-year-old wife of President Robert Mugabe is accused of attacking 20-year-old model Gabriella Engels on Sunday evening at a Johannesburg hotel where the first lady's two sons were staying.

Debbie Engels, the mother of the alleged victim, said her daughter had received 14 stitches on her head from Sunday's assault - which the mother did not witness - and demanded Mugabe face justice.

Engels said her daughter had received 14 stitches on her head from Sunday's assault - which the mother did not witness - and demanded Mugabe face justice.

She also showed photographs taken in the hours after the incident showing gashes on Gabriella's forehead and back of the head. Another picture, taken on Wednesday, showed a large, livid bruise on her right thigh.

Justice

"I just want justice for my daughter. It's not about money. It's about justice. She attacked my child for no reason," she said.

According to South African police, Mugabe has applied for diplomatic immunity to protect herself from possible assault charges.

A police police statement issued on Wednesday said Harare had sought diplomatic immunity for Mugabe - which if granted would exempt her from prosecution - but said she would be "processed through the legal system".

Mugabe may not only be facing a criminal case from the state, because Gerrie Nel, the same prosecutor who laid out the murder case against Paralympian Oscar Pistorius, said on Thursday he was ready to represent Engels.

Nel said the Engels family had been approached by a third party to accept a cash settlement "for this to go away", but gave no details.

"The family is not interested in doing that," said Nel.

Nel resigned from the state prosecutor's office in January and joined a civic group that aims to bring private prosecutions in criminal cases that the state opts not to pursue.