The South African government has reportedly distanced itself from Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema's recent attack on President Robert Mugabe.

According to the Zimbabwean state-owned Herald newspaper, South Africa’s ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mphakama Mbete, said Malema's utterance against Mugabe were not "in line with the policies and approaches of the South African government to Zimbabwe, SADC and the entire African continent".

Malema recently made headlines with his "grandpa it's enough" comments, in which he called on Mugabe, 92, to step down.

Mugabe has been in power since 1980 when the southern African country attained its independence from colonial Britain.

Malema said Mugabe was "incapable of discharging his duties" and called on members of the ruling Zanu-PF party to be brave enough to tell the nonagenarian to go.

"Zimbabwe's situation is bad. President Mugabe cannot even control a spade… We are not going to be good friends if we don't tell them that what they are doing is not good for Zimbabwe’s people," Malema said during a press conference.

But Mbete reassured the Zimbabwean government that Malema's comments were his personal views and that this would not affect the cordial relations between the two countries.