The African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General, Ace Magashule and his Zanu-PF counterpart, Obert Mpofu are expected to lead Friday’s anti-Zimbabwe sanctions picket at the Beitbridge border post near Musina in Limpopo.
The picket will follow the 10th summit of former liberation movements in southern Africa held at the Victoria Falls, in Zimbabwe, last month.
The United States and the European Union imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe between 2002 and 2003. This comes after Zimbabwe implemented the land reform programme in 2000.
The ANC and Zanu-PF are calling for the lifting of sanctions against Zimbabwe. They believe the lifting of sanctions will revive the Zimbabwe’s economy.
The sanctions have led to the collapse of that country’s economy and massive emigration.
The demonstration at the border post is a sign of showing solidarity with Zimbabwe.
The ANC Limpopo leaders and the alliance partners are expected to be part of the demonstration.
Meanwhile the ANC in Gauteng will also support Zimbabwe’s Day of Action against economic sanctions. The party says it will picket outside the embassies of the European Union and the US in Pretoria on Friday.
In Zimbabwe, a national march is expected to take place in the capital Harare. The country wants Western countries to lift the sanctions imposed on it.
Zimbabwe’s economy is continuing to deteriorate the recent inflation marker sat at 300% in August.
The African Union has called for the lifting of the sanctions.
The ANC in Gauteng says the sanctions have made it difficult for the government of Zimbabwe to access lines of credit and debt-relief. This in turn making the recovery of the difficult as well.
The march will leave from Pretoria Art Museum Park at 9am and move towards the EU and American embassies.-Additional reporting by Noma Bolani.
