President Robert Mugabe's government has threatened to jail South African trade union officials if they visit Zimbabwe this week to mediate in the country's political crisis, state radio reported on Tuesday. Such a move would strain Harare's ties with its top regional ally as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) tries to ensure Zimbabwe meets minimum democratic standards for parliamentary polls due in March, analysts said.

The South African Congress of Trade Unions (COSATU) has vowed to press on with a planned fact-finding mission despite strong opposition from Harare that it is meddling in its affairs on behalf of Mugabe's Western opponents.

Copyright Reuters, 2005