JOHANNESBURG (Sapa-AFP) - South Africa on Friday accused foreign media of orchestrating conspiracy theories by claiming delays in the release of Zimbabwe's poll results were a plot to steal that country's elections Addressing the diplomatic corps in South Africa, deputy foreign minister Aziz Pahad condemned media reports that Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe was attempting to rig the election by delaying the release of results.

"What is a matter of serious concern is the orchestrated campaign, by sections of the international and South African media, to categorically claim that the delay is a plot by the government to 'doctor' and 'steal' the elections," he said.

Six days after voters went to the polls to choose between Mugabe and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change leader Morgan Tsvangirai, tensions were growing in Harare amid silence over the outcome.

Parliamentary results were finally released on Thursday night, declaring the MDC the victor in the house of assembly, while Mugabe and his lieutenants met to work out their strategy as the deadline to release results loomed on Friday.

The opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) meanwhile lodged a court application demanding an end to the silence over the outcome of last Saturday's presidential ballot.

Pahad defended the delay, saying the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission had "explained" that holding simultaneous elections for the president, parliament and senate had caused logistical problems.

"The media and many governments are aware that the possibilities of doctoring the results are limited by the fact that results were posted outside every polling station immediately after the votes were counted," he said.

Pahad said the international community and media should support the efforts of the Zimbabwean people instead of being "instruments of conspiracies and destabilisation."

Several foreign governments have criticised the delay over the release of the results, with the US State Department on Thursday saying the hold-up was "concerning to us" and raising concerns about "the possibility of some kind of chicanery, or some kind of efforts to manipulate the balloting".