Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab accepted on Monday the resignation of Justice Minister Mahfouz Saber, who had offered to step down over his classist comments.

The premier said Saber handed him the resignation earlier in the day.

Saber said that he respects all the working classes and his remarks were "slip of the tongue", Mahlab added.

On Sunday, the minister was quoted as saying that sons of cleaners can not be judges, considered by the media as classist.