Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, visiting South Africa for Tuesday's inauguration of his counterpart Thabo Mbeki, was not refused accommodation by any local hotels, his envoy said in Pretoria on Monday.
Denying media reports to this effect, ambassador Simon Moyo said Mugabe was staying at a guest house out of choice.
"President Mugabe was offered three hotels and a guest house to choose from. He preferred a guest house."
Radio news reports said that Mugabe would stay at a guest house in Pretoria after two five-star hotels refused to accommodate him.
Moyo said the South African media had been "abuzz with distortion and falsehoods" since Mugabe's arrival at the Waterkloof air base in Pretoria on Sunday.
"The fact is that President Mugabe is jubilant to be in South Africa, for the relations between South Africa and Zimbabwe at both party and government levels remain cordial and excellent," the ambassador said.
"He is here to congratulate his brother President Mbeki and African National Congress for their thunderous victory in the recently concluded elections. His reception at the airport in Pretoria yesterday was fantastic."
Mugabe's rule has been widely criticised in recent years over political and economic instability in his country. - Sapa