JOHANNESBURG: So­­uth African officials were on Friday considering whet­her to grant diplomatic imm­u­nity to Zimbabwe’s first lady Grace Mugabe over her alleged assault on 20-year-old model in a Johannesburg hotel.

Mugabe, who has not been seen since the Sunday’s incident, is due to attend a Southern African Develo­pment Community (SADC) meeting in Pretoria this weekend along with her husband President Robert Mugabe.

The first lady claimed imm­u­nity after allegedly whipping Gabriella Engels with an electrical extension cord at a Johannesburg hotel where Mugabe’s two sons, both in their 20s, were staying.

“The correspondence from the government of Zim­b­abwe is being given consideration,” Nelson Kgwete, spokesman for the foreign ministry, said.

The Mugabes will join other heads of state and their spouses at the two-day meeting in the South African capital starting Saturday.

Engels — who has registered a case of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm — appeared at a press conference on Thur­sday, wearing a large plaster on her forehead.

Her lawyers told reporters she had been offered cash to make the incident “go away” but that she had refused and was determined to press charges against Mugabe.

Willie Spies, one of the lawyers, said that if diplomatic immunity was granted they “would consider bringing an urgent application to the high court to prevent the decision from being executed”.

Grace Mugabe, 52, was in South Africa reportedly to have her ankle treated following a minor accident last month.

President Mugabe, 93, flew into the country late on Wednesday, the day after his wife failed to attend an agreed meeting with South African police over the hotel incident.

The SADC summit in Pretoria opens at 09:30am on Saturday, with a “first spouses programme” starting at noon. A closing ceremony on Sunday afternoon is also scheduled to include partners of the heads of the states.

Zimbabwean officials have declined to comment either on the allegations against the first lady or her immunity claim.

South African police have said they are on high alert to prevent Grace Mugabe leaving the country.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2017