Former Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe reportedly flew to South Africa on Wednesday - for the first time since his ouster from power in November - aboard an Air Zimbabwe flight.

A Zimbabwean journalist @ray_Ndlovu, who also travelled on the same flight tweeted: "Am on the same flight on Air Zimbabwe to Johannesburg with former President Robert Mugabe this morning. The times have changed. Really changed."

Reasons for the nonagenarian's visit remained unclear.

A report by SABC said: "Mugabe is known to have come to South Africa for a private visit earlier, but it is not clear if he is still in the country."

The report also claimed that workers at the veteran politician’s residence in Harare had been "taken in for questioning by soldiers on Wednesday morning".

Meanwhile, there were unconfirmed reports that Mugabe was in South Africa for a meeting with former education minister Jonathan Moyo and other members from the Generation 40 (G40), according to Bulawayo24.

This came as tensions were mounting in Zimbabwe after Mugabe last week expressed support for the National Patriotic Front led by former cabinet minister and ally Ambrose Mutinhiri. Some officials in the ruling party have rounded on Mugabe for that, accusing him of trying to destabilise Zanu-PF.

News24