'Do you want me to punch you to the floor?' Robert Mugabe's incredible threat to journalist after he is asked about whether he might retire now he is 92

Zimbabwe leader Robert Mugabe threatened to punch a journalist to the floor during an interview on state TV when the president was asked whether he has any plans to retire. 

The 92-year-old leader challenged the journalist and asked: 'Do you want me to punch you to the floor to realise I am still there?'

Mugabe replied to the journalist: "Why 'successor' when I am still there?' Why do you want a successor?'

Mugabe turned 92 on February 21 amid fierce squabbling in the ruling ZANU-PF party in anticipation of his succession.

Still, he defended his wife's entry into politics and attacked anyone who was critical of her.

His spokesman Simon Khaya Moyo of the ruling ZANU-PF party announced the suspension from the party of Cabinet Minister Chris Mutsvangwa and several other officials on allegations of disrespecting the First Lady.

In the interview, Mugabe said mining companies recently kicked out of Marange diamond fields in eastern Zimbabwe 'robbed us of our wealth,' claiming billions of dollars were siphoned in gem smuggling.

Mugabe dismissed suggestions he was lining up his wife Grace, pictured right, as his successor claiming his party ZanuPF was a democratic institution and 'succession is not part of our culture'

Some of the firms have gone to court challenging the order for them to leave the diamond-rich area.

Mugabe also attacked his former vice president Joice Mujuru who has established his own political party to challenge Zanu-PF. 

The 92-year-old leader claimed: 'They will live in the wilderness, where little ants and other biting insects are destined to live.

'Some think we are afraid of them. We are not.'

Mujuru, who was sacked by Mugabe in 2014, officially unveiled the Zimbabwe People First party on Tuesday.

A former ZANU-PF stalwart and liberation war veteran, Mujuru served in all cabinets under Mugabe and was seen for many years as his favoured choice of successor.

But she was fired after a sustained campaign by the president's wife Grace, who accused her of fomenting party division and plotting to topple Mugabe, who turned 92 two weeks ago.