Opposition parties on Monday criticised the government for not recognising Alassane Ouattara's victory in presidential elections in Ivory Coast last week.

"The Democratic Alliance must register our disappointment with the Zuma administration's studied reticence on the matter of this disputed election," DA spokesman Kenneth Mubu said in a statement.

He said he would write to International Relations Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane asking her to follow the US and European Union in recognising Ouattara as the victor.

The outcome is heatedly contested by outgoing president Laurent Gbagbo, who has refused to step aside. Both Gbagbo and Ouattara have sworn themselves in as president.

The African Christian Democratic Party said it was disappointed by the South African government's decision to await the outcome of an African Union meeting before declaring its position on the Ivory Coast elections.

"The South African government must acknowledge the electoral commission's decision, supported by independent observers, that opposition leader Alassane Ouattara has won the elections in Ivory Coast, and ask Gbagbo to step down," ACDP leader Kenneth Meshoe said.

"Their 'wait and see' attitude is a symptom of cowardice on government's part and is not helping the democratic choice of the people of Ivory Coast."

International mediators are trying to settle the stand-off between Gbagbo and his old rival Ouattara amid fears of renewed civil war in the west African nation.

Among them is former South African president Thabo Mbeki, who was dispatched to Abidjan by the AU on Sunday.

After Mbeki held emergency talks with the two, Ouattara called on the mediator to demand Gbagbo quit, as his own allies declared they had formed a new government.