The lifting of sanctions imposed by the European Union (EU) on Zimbabwe would speed up that country's recovery, President Jacob Zuma said on Thursday.

"The EU has a position that they are not lifting sanctions. We are seeing things, as the Southern African Development Community (SADC), from a different point of view," he told a media briefing at Tuynhuys.

Zuma was speaking after talks with visiting Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt, which included discussion on the situation in Zimbabwe.

Referring to the EU fact-finding mission heading to Zimbabwe at the weekend, Reinfeldt stressed it was going there to listen, and was "not in preparation, at this time, for lifting of the restrictions we have coming from the EU".

Reinfeldt noted there was still violence in Zimbabwe.

"We see still the use of violence directed against the supporters of [Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan] Tsvangirai and also the abuses still of human rights," he said.

Sweden currently holds the rotating EU presidency.

Referring to his talks with Reinfeldt, Zuma indicated he hoped to persuade the EU to lift sanctions.

"We are saying that we both understand where both SADC and the EU comes from. But we are saying, precisely because of that, we need to engage so that we could explain... and try to persuade the EU to lift sanctions."

The lifting of sanctions would "help to quicken the process of the implementation of the political agreement" in Zimbabwe, he said.

Reinfeldt and Zuma are set to co-chair the SA-European Union Summit in the Overberg coastal town of Kleinmond on Friday.