Miliband warns of Zimbabwe crisis 'infecting' southern Africa

The Foreign Secretary spoke of the wider dangers as he met refugees from Robert Mugabe's regime in neighbouring South Africa.

He insisted it was ' imperative' that a new government was formed which represented the will of the Zimbabwean people.

Crisis: David Miliband (right) has warned Robert Mugabe's regime in Zimbabwe could spread through southern Africa

'This is now a crisis that is infecting the whole of southern Africa, and one that is a man-made tragedy from the top of the Zimbabwean regime,' he said in Johannesburg.

Mr Miliband said the world should now unite around 'tough, strong, clear' sanctions currently being drawn up by the UN.

The U.S.-drafted resolution backed by Britain would require nations to freeze the financial assets of Mugabe and 11 of his officials, and ban them from travelling out of Zimbabwe.

The Foreign Secretary said such targeted sanctions would spare the majority of Zimbabweans, already suffering in a collapsed economy.

They could also result in those closest to Mugabe pressuring him to yield at the negotiating table.

Mr Miliband was visiting a church where 2 , 000 refugees from Zimbabwe were sheltering, crammed into hallways, stairwells and storerooms.

He said: 'I've seen the human toll and the human face of the catastrophe.'