'Southern Africa Litigation Centre used and funded by foreign governments'

African Union chairperson Robert Mugabe said at a media briefing following the closing of the AU summit that non-governmental organisations such as the Southern Africa Litigation Centre were used and funded by foreign governments.

"There is no African country without an NGO, which is nonsense. Their host country did not set them up, they were set up by other governments, mainly European governments who pay them to be their informers about our actions, and how we run our countries."

Mugabe said that President Jacob Zuma had vowed to not allow police to arrest Sudanese President Omar Al-Bashir.

"Zuma was telling me that one of the NGOs went to court, and I am quite sure they were used by outsiders," the Zimbabwean president said.

"He [Zuma] said President Bashir would not be arrested, as he would not allow police here to arrest him."

Bashir departed for Sudan on Monday, despite a high court order preventing him from leaving South Africa. His departure sent mixed reactions across the country, with opposition parties accusing the government of violating a court order.