South African rights group denounces Grace Mugabe immunity plans

FILE PHOTO: Grace Mugabe, wife of President Robert Mugabe, addresses a rally of the ruling ZANU (PF) in Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe July 29, 2017. REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo/File Photo

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South African rights group Afriforum, which is advising a 20-year-old model who has accused Zimbabwean first lady Grace Mugabe of assault, denounced as a "disgrace" on Friday reported plans by Pretoria to grant Mugabe diplomatic immunity. A government source told Reuters Pretoria was going to let Mugabe leave the country and return to Harare in the interests of avoiding a diplomatic rift. "The government has two responsibilities: one, to protect its own citizens and two, to act according to the law. And the granting of diplomatic immunity would transgress the law," Afriforum chief executive Kallie Kriel told Reuters. (Reporting by Ed Cropley; Editing by Joe Brock)