Dalai Lama's visit to South Africa delayed

The South African government has been accused of trying to stall a visa application from the Dalai Lama.

The Tibetan spiritual leader has been invited to celebrate the 80th birthday of his fellow Nobel Peace Laureate, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, in Cape Town next week.

The row is being blamed on South Africa's close trading relationship with China.

Sonam Tenzing, the Dalai Lama's representative in South Africa, told the BBC's Karen Allen the exiled spiritual leader had been looking forward to the visit.