South African human rights lawyer George Bizos is reportedly worried about Zimbabwe’s political instability, claiming that it could degenerate into a civil war, New Zimbabwe has reported.

The high profile attorney is renowned for representing late South African president Nelson Mandela in his treason trial between 1963 and 1964. Through his efforts, Mandela and his co-accused were spared death penalties, which were commuted to life imprisonment.

Bizos said the ongoing political instability has worried some of his colleagues in the country.

"The things we heard from our colleagues in Zimbabwe are of great concern. There is no unity of purpose. They say the government is really not functioning. Some say they fear civil war may take place,” Bizos was quoted as saying.

According to NewsDay, the Greek-born legal representative also made a surprise appearance at war veterans’ spokesperson Douglas Mahiya’s bail hearing at the Harare Magistrate’s Court.

Bizos was in the southern African country at the invitation of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), together with other human right lawyers from the SADC region.

ZLHR chairperson Beatrice Mtetwa said there was nothing sinister about the presence of Bizos and a group of top regional lawyers at Mahiya’s court appearance.

"We had a meeting of board members of Freedom Under Law, a regional law-based (non-govermental organisation) NGO registered in South Africa. We were having our board meeting in Harare and just to show solidarity to human rights, they thought they must just come and observe," Mtetwa was quoted as saying.