Helen Zille piqued by Mugabe cheers

South Africa's Western Cape premier, Helen Zille, has expressed outrage at the standing ovation granted President Mugabe.

Africa's oldest and one of the longest serving leaders received the loudest cheer at the south lawn of the Union Buildings in Pretoria at the presidential inauguration of Jacob Zuma on Saturday.

Zille, who was officially sworn in to her second term as Western Cape premier on Monday morning, blasted South Africans for sending the wrong message after the 90-year-old Zimbabwean leader was applauded by the vociferous crowd.

Zille complained through a post on her Twitter account, "A huge cheer goes up for Robert Mugabe, commander in chief blah, blah … too depressing. What message does that send out?"