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Midlands Bureau Chief
THE Zimbabwe Amalgamated Housing Association (Zaha) is working with its partners to launch a platform to facilitate increased business for cross border traders.

The platform, dubbed Zimba365, is aimed at promoting exports, protect cross border traders at the borders and movement of their goods by setting up warehouses called Fill My Shop.

Zaha director, who is also Chivi Rural District Council chairman, Dr Killer Zivhu said Zimba365 will revolutionise business for traders.

He said Zimba365, which will soon be launched in Harare to finance bulk buying of goods outside the country.

The facility will also apply to local purchases as it supports buying locally produced goods.

“Zaha through different partners, which include airlines, courier services is launching Zimba365 in Harare next week. This is an initiative aimed at assisting cross border traders realise their full potential in their line of trade by bringing the goods they want to resale in the country through a facility called Fill My Shop,” he said.

“They will be able to buy products in the country at our different warehouses called Fill My Shop at the same price they buy them from South Africa, Botswana or Dubai.”

Dr Zivhu said Zimba365 will help integrate cross border traders into formal business while moving them into corporate status as they will begin to import or export in bulk while at the same time helping in curbing smuggling.

“There is a lot of smuggling because our border posts are porous. When our people leave the country, they leave as visitors and not traders meaning that as visitors they can only receive a rebate of $200. This means that they are paying high duties. This is not a punishment but that’s the law,” said Dr Zivhu.

Zimba365 would assist informal traders to lower their stocking costs while at the same time assisting them to fully comply with import laws of the country. This will even lower the risk of having informal traders’ merchandise being confiscated by Zimra, which has a negative effect on their capital bases and ability to continue trading.

“Currently some people are spending as much as 48 hours on the road because of the delays at the borders and the Zimra spot checks,” said Dr  Zivhu.

He said Zimba365 was aimed at moulding a true Zimbabwean with a heart to see the economic transformation of the country.