JOHANNESBURG – The African National Congress (ANC) in Gauteng yesterday said sanctions against Zimbabwe by the United Stated (US) and European Union (EU) are illegal.

Party members and Zimbabweans living in South Africa took a brief moment to protest outside the US embassy calling for an end to the sanctions against the neighbouring state.

Financial and travel restrictions by the EU and US currently apply to more than 80 individuals including President Emmerson Mnangangwa and 50 companies.

The united states has also imposed a ban on arms exports.

The Southern African Development Community (Sadc) has declared the 25 October a day of action against sanctions in Zimbabwe.

Some ANC members said that the sanctions have led to Zimbabweans fleeing their own country to flood South Africa absolving the Zimbabwean government for failing to run the country.

A group of demonstrators protested outside the embassy in Pretoria calling on the US to rethink their position.

The ANC’s Gauteng provincial secretary Jacob Khawe said, “We are coming here, joining the Zimbabweans and asking America that it must consider immediately lifting the sanctions against the people of Zimbabwe who can’t import or export or grow food of their own.”

A Zimbabwean man at the demonstration said he wants to go home but added he’s been restricted due to the sanctions as they have collapsed the economy.

“It is important for us as Africans to unite so that we can unit our region.”

Similar protests were held in some parts of Zimbabwe on Friday.

The US and EU said the sanctions have been imposed on individuals and companies and have no impact on the economy.