Harare — South African President Jacob Zuma is expected in Zimbabwe tomorrow to help the three political parties in the Global Political Agreement resolve outstanding issues, South African Deputy Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Mlu-lami Singapi said yesterday.

The facilitation team comprising President Zuma's international relations adviser Ms Lindiwe Zulu and former ministers Mr Mac Maharaj and Mr Charles Nqakula are expected in Harare today to lay the ground for the mediator and are expected to hold meetings with the GPA negotiators.

The negotiators -- Justice and Legal Affairs Minister Patrick Chinamasa, Industry and Commerce Minister Welshman Ncube and Economic Planning and Investment Promotion Minister Elton Mangoma -- yesterday professed ignorance of the visit by the South African president.

The other negotiators are Transport, Communications and Infrastructure Development Minister Nicholas Goche, Finance Minister Tendai Biti and Regional Integration and International Co-operation Minister Priscilla Misihairabwi-Mushonga.

"President Zuma will be coming on the 16th and he will be here until the 18th. The purpose of his visit is all-around facilitation of the completion of the GPA issues. Besides, he is a brother visiting his brothers," Mr Singapi said.

He said it was likely that President Zuma would meet with the principals to the GPA -- President Mugabe (Zanu-PF), Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai (MDC-T) and Deputy Prime Minister Professor Arthur Mutambara (MDC) -- during his visit.

"The facilitation team (Ms Zulu, Mac Maharaj and Charles Nqakula) will be advancing on Monday (today).

"I am sure the facilitation team is advancing to clear the ground for the president's visit and they are most likely to meet with the negotiators.

"We have communicated to the principals about President Zuma's visit through the Foreign Affairs Ministry as the norm these days. It is most likely that President Zuma will also meet the principals although I cannot confirm that at the moment," Mr Singapi said.

However, negotiators from Zanu-PF and MDC formations could not be drawn into commenting substantively yesterday saying they were still to get a full briefing on President Zuma's visit.

Minister Chinamasa said he did not have the full details surrounding President Zuma's visit.

Professor Ncube and Minister Mangoma said the same when contacted yesterday.

"As negotiators we have scheduled our meetings to resume on March 26 2010. I am still to get a full briefing on the visit of President Zuma," said Prof Ncube yesterday.

President Zuma is also expected to brief principals on his recent State visit to Britain where he called upon the United Kingdom to lift the illegal sanctions imposed against Zimbabwe.

While in Britain, President Zuma implored Britain and its Western allies to lift the embargo, arguing that it was important to give Zimbabwe an opportunity to move forward.

He also told the International Monetary Fund to resume lending to Zimbabwe.

However, just like his call for the removal of sanctions that did not get a positive response, the IMF maintained it was still not prepared to resume lending to Zimbabwe.

The South African president is expected to brief the principals on the reservations that British Prime Minister Gordon Brown had over the immediate removal of sanctions.

President Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangi-rai have said the inclusive Government was working well although there were few hitches.