South Africa will send a delegation to Zimbabwe on Monday to assess the deteriorating food and humanitarian crisis, government spokesman Themba Maseko said on Friday.

Briefing the media in Pretoria, Maseko said the delegation, led by presidency Director-General Frank Chikane, would assess the situation, determine the level of assistance required and consult various representatives. These included the government, agricultural unions, churches, non-governmental and international donor organisations.

"This process will be aimed at ensuring that humanitarian assistance is delivered in a non-partisan way and that the beneficiaries of the aid are the ordinary Zimbabweans."

Once the delegation returned from Zimbabwe it would make recommendations to the ministerial team that would be convened by President Kgalema Motlanthe during the course of next week.

He said the South African government would continue applying pressure on the political parties in Zimbabwe to sign the amendment to the September power-sharing agreement.

"The situation is at such a critical stage, that the time for political point scoring is over."

He said any party with conscience should be able to put aside all differences, especially in light of the number of Zimbabweans dying of cholera and starvation and say "let us bring this country back on track".