By Claver Nyuki

South African opposition party, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has joined the international community in denouncing the illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by the United States (US) and the European Union (EU) and urged South Africa to stand firm with Zimbabwe against these sanctions.

EFF Commander in Chief, Julius Malema said this while addressing the South African House of Assembly yesterday.

“We should unite as a country (South Africa) and demand imperialist forces to drop the illegal sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe. If Zimbabwe is going to succeed, all progressive Zimbabweans have to come together in defence of their country,” He said.   

Malema added that the imposition of the illegal sanctions was a way of punishing Zimbabweans for embarking on the Land Redistribution Programme.

He said, “All the troubles of Zimbabwe therefore started when Zimbabweans began taking back their land. The white world stood up and vowed to punish President Mugabe and all Zimbabweans for daring to take back what rightfully belongs to them.

“The British government and its British settler community in Zimbabwe were never interested in justice, they were only interested in maintaining the privileges colonialism bestowed upon them, and they never saw African people as equal human beings.”

Regional, continental and international bodies continue to stand by Zimbabwe in calling for the unconditional removal of the illegal sanctions as they are not only hurting the average person in Zimbabwe but having severe ripple effects on the region.

EFF’s call against the sanctions follows the SADC initiated anti-sanctions day on 25 October 2019 in which the SADC countries resolved to carry out various activities in their respective countries on that day to resoundingly call for the immediate removal of the sanctions.