South Africa’s main opposition party has condemned the government’s decision to grant Zimbabwe’s first lady diplomatic immunity despite an assault claim.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called for a parliamentary inquiry, accusing the government of protecting its “dodgy friends”.

Mrs Mugabe, 52, is accused of assaulting model Gabriella Engels at a hotel in Johannesburg. She has not publicly commented.

President Robert Mugabe and his wife arrived back in Harare early on Sunday.

“It illustrates how unrepentant the ANC government is and, following its complicity in allowing Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to escape an international arrest warrant [in 2015], shows that the ANC government will continue to do exactly what it wants to protect their dodgy friends,” the DA said in a statement.