SA minister protest not visiting Rhodes grave site

South Africa's Finance minister Nhlanhla Nene has said Zimbabwe is a hospitable country but  bemoaned being denied 'opportunity to visit Cecil John Rhodes grave'.

Rhodes is buried at Matobo outside Zimbabwe's second capital city.

Nene is in the city attending SADC joint meeting of Finance ministers and Central bank governors.

A group of delegates visited the Matopos National Park where Rhodes grave is.

Said Nene : "Zimbabwe is a hospitable country and I thank the government for facilitating our good stay in Bulawayo.

"However,  I was looking forward at visiting Rhodes grave chairman ( Patrick Chinamasa). But I was excluded and I don't know its due to our (South Africa's) relations with Rhodes.

Rhodes, 1853-1902, was a British colonialist, businessman, mining magnate, and politician in South Africa. He founded Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) which was named after him in 1895.

 However, early this year, University of Cape Town students demanding to have Rhodes's statue at the campus removed because of its "historic and strategic significance".