Foreign Affairs minister Louise Mushikiwabo has said Rwanda was justified in showing six South African diplomats the door in retaliation to three Rwandan diplomats being expelled from Pretoria.

The diplomatic spat followed the alleged attack on the South African residence of a Rwandan fugitive, Faustin Kayumba Nyamwasa.

Nyamwasa and three others were convicted in Rwanda of being behind a string of grenade attacks in Kigali.

"South Africa expelling law-abiding Rwandan diplomats was simply wrong and Rwanda has every right to reciprocate,” Mushikiwabo tweeted on her account yesterday.

"Good diplomatic relations are better served by South Africa addressing illegal activities of protected Rwandan fugitives on their soil. Rwandan fugitives continue to engage in terrorist acts back home. Despite repeated promises from Pretoria, the problem is unresolved.”

Both countries’ diplomatic missions are currently being manned by a skeleton staff with only the High Commissioners unaffected by the incident.