Former president Thabo Mbeki has been lauded for urging South Africans not to interfere in Zimbabwean affairs, a report says.

Mbeki recently told South Africans to "stay clear" of criticising Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, adding that the veteran leader should only be "shown the door" by his own people.

Mbeki said this while speaking during a discussion with young people involved in his foundation.

I would fight with any South African who stands up to say: 'I, as a South African, say Robert Mugabe must go… I say it's none of your business. It is the business of the people of Zimbabwe," Mbeki was quoted as saying.

He said that only Zimbabweans could tell Mugabe; "president, please go away", if they felt he had overstayed.

According to the state-owned Herald newspaper, Zimbabwean political analysts described Mbeki as a "principled pan-Africanist".

'Unscrupulous' social media users

"We give him [Mbeki] thumbs up for sustaining Zimbabwe’s sovereignty and respecting the African Union and United Nations principle that there should be non-interference in the internal affairs of any given country," analyst Goodwine Mureriwa was quoted as saying.

Another analyst Tafadzwa Mugwadi said Mbeki was one of "Africa's rare breed of politicians, schooled and molded in the traditions of African revolutions".

Mbeki brokered the 2009 Global Political Agreement (GPA), which ushered in the Government of National Unity (GNU) that ran the country until 2013.

Meanwhile, Malawi's Nyasa Times also reported this week that President Peter Mutharika had denied reports suggesting he had criticised Mugabe over his continued rule in Zimbabwe.

The reports alleged that Mutharika had indicated he did not want to be like Mugabe by violating by extending his tenure.

Mutharika dismissed this as fake news that was spread by "unscrupulous" social media users.

"Malawi has no business to dictate to the people of Zimbabwe how they should conduct their affairs. The people of Malawi and those of Zimbabwe are assured that the Government of Malawi remains resolute to its policy of not interfering in internal matters of other countries," Minister of information Nicholous Dausi was quoted as saying.

Mugabe, 93, has ruled Zimbabwe since 1980 when they country gained its independence from Britain.