Crisis pushes South Africa to Zimbabwe cargo shuttle

Huge piles of oil, tires, biscuits, microwaves and toilet paper filled a small wet basement in Johannesburg, all destined for Zimbabwe.

Items are loaded onto trailers attached to minibuses that travel 550 km (340 miles) north from the border.

In less than 48 hours, each shipment is delivered to addresses in Zimbabwe after being "mailed" to the border, sometimes illegally.

While the economic situation in Zimbabwe has deteriorated dramatically, pushing inflation to more than 50%, shortages of basic necessities have become widespread.

"When the situation is bad, things are better for us," said Charles, one of the delivery men who makes a weekly round trip with precariously loaded trailers.

He manages orders for individuals and small businesses via WhatsApp before sending items north.

Charles (this is not his real name) and hundreds of people like him across South Africa offer a unique "personal shopper" service in Zimbabwe.

Known in the local ndebele language as "malayitsha" (transporters), they fly mostly under the radar and do not report their goods to Zimbabwean customs.

"We sell and transport everything," said Charles, who makes deliveries to the western region of Bulawayo. Other than the AFP met also deliver to the capital Harare.

Food, alcohol, sanitary products, furniture, electrical appliances, coffins and even salt licks for livestock cross the border daily.

Gas and fuel, in strong demand since prices doubled in January, are also a staple food for malayiteshas despite the risk of explosions.

"It's dangerous.As long as they're willing to pay, I'll take it in. If I say 'I'm not wearing it', my kids will go on empty stomachs." "said Charles, who has two children in Zimbabwe but much of his time in South Africa where he also has two children.

"People are very desperate"

Although Charles is willing to risk flammable cargo, he will not take perishable goods.

But Precious, his fellow Malayitsha, told AFP that "the craziest thing I had to buy was five big pizzas".

"We bought them on a Saturday, they were delivered on Sunday, people are very desperate," she said.

Impromptu warehouses have sprung up in the tiny hillbrow district of Hillbrow in Johannesburg, where sidewalks serve as loading docks.

Yvonne, a Zimbabwean secretary in South Africa, arrived with a huge bag filled with items for her parents and sister – a monthly ritual.

Yvonne trusts mail and pays with an electronic transfer or cash.

Her latest expedition included toothpaste and sanitary napkins, as well as candles and matches.

"I can rest easy knowing that they have what they need," said the young woman.

Prices are rising in Zimbabwe and even with shipping costs, a malayitsha is often cheaper than buying locally.

Charles charges 5 rand ($ 0.34) for 20 bags of chips, 150 rand of 20 liters of gasoline and 5000 rand of fridge.

"The fridge (…) was also bought in South Africa because if I bought one here, it would be enough to buy three," said Emily Maphosa, a resident of the second city from Zimbabwe, Bulawayo.

The 78-year-old grandmother had just received cooking oil, a bag of rice and frozen chickens.

"We think we're fine"

"In South Africa, with 500 rand, it's better – I can buy and do my shopping that can last for almost a month," she said.

"In this country, 500 rand can only get a few items that will not last a week," she added during the cooking of kale.

Compatriot Nokuthaba Tshuma, a 38-year-old resident of Bulawayo and single mother, was also delivered.

"With around 250 rand, I managed to buy the 36 pounds (exercise) needed for my son," she said, adding that locally, they would have cost more.

"I can even buy them a bag of potatoes in their lunch box," she said.

To keep customers like Tshuma happy, malayitshas should avoid attracting attention.

Many of them drive the night avoiding the Zimbabwean police roadblocks, while in South Africa, they bribe officers to ignore the overloaded trailers, sometimes piled four meters high. from above.

Customs officials are corrupted to ignore items that should be declared.

Charles spends "between 1,500 and 2,000 rand bribes" on each trip.

"Officers in Zimbabwe are not paid enough, so it's a way for them to make a better living," said Valentine Kembo, another delivery man.

Kembo and his partner, who created Cleeka, a company officially registered in South Africa, also buy in bulk to deliver to Zimbabwe.

But their shipments are neatly packaged in identical boxes for high-end customers including a former minister, according to Kembo.

While Zimbabwe's economy has collapsed over the past year, its business has grown by 30%, he said, and goes far beyond satisfying his clients.

"A pharmacy would not give us 10 boxes of the same medicine, so we had to go to 10 pharmacies," Kembo said.

"We gave an injection at a critical time to a person with diabetes, we think we are doing well."