Zimbabwe is likely to deport rather than detain a South African trade union team expected in Harare yesterday to avoid embarrassing South African President Thabo Mbeki, officials said.

President Robert Mugabe?s government had threatened to jail the South African Congress of Trade Unions (COSATU) team, due on a fact-finding mission despite Harare?s contention that it is meddling on behalf of Mugabe?s Western opponents. Yesterday, Zimbabwe?s state media quoted Labour, Public Service and Social Welfare Minister Paul Mangwana as saying the 20 COSATU visitors were unwelcome, but did not repeat his threat on Tuesday that they would be jailed if they arrived.

In what appeared as a softening of tone, the Herald newspaper quoted Mangwana as saying Zimbabwe could consider COSATU?s visit to assess Zimbabwe?s political crisis only if they applied for a permit through the South African labour minister.

?Until they comply with that requirement, which we have already communicated to them, their coming is not welcome,? Mangwana said. COSATU?s trip comes as Zimbabwe readies for March 31 parliamentary elections seen as a test of how far Mugabe?s government has yielded to international pressure for a fair vote, and of the popularity of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), a party with strong labour links.

COSATU, the powerful umbrella group of South African trade unions, is an official alliance partner of Mbeki?s ruling African National Congress (ANC) but has taken a much tougher line on Zimbabwe than the South African government. Mugabe?s government expelled a similar COSATU fact-finding mission last October, saying it was acting in concert with Western countries led by former colonial ruler Britain to interfere in Zimbabwe?s internal affairs.

<B>By Cris CHINAKA</B>