Courier firms operating in Zimbabwe have raised concerns that illegal cross border runners are dominating the courier business and the country could be losing millions of dollars in untaxed informal transactions.
Appearing before a parliamentary committee on Monday, representatives of several courier companies said that thousands of parcels are sent via the unregistered couriers who are locally referred to as “malaicha.”
“Most of the people who are involved in smuggling are the ‘malaichas’ who are not licensed. As licensed operators we do not promote the smuggling, evasion of duties and transportation of dangerous goods thereby promoting the fiscus,” said Courier Connect internal auditor Shepherd Musonza.
DHL Zimbabwe managing director Jeff Phiri said clients turn to the illegal couriers who can bypass most of the border processes which usually take time.
“One of our challenges is the CD1 (customs declaration) forms, export control forms, that we need to complete. The voice of the customer is very clear that they are finding it cumbersome to wait to process the CD1 forms, It can take anything from two days to a month while they are waiting but the world right now cannot wait,” he said.
“People just go to the runners because they are convenient and quick.”
FedEx managing director Steve Mannion said registered courier operators had witnessed a decline in business in the past years because of the illegal operators.
“A lot of our clients are actually going through the informal channel, deploying runners to South Africa and that has had an impact on our business,” he said.
“Over the last two or three years we have seen a much more significant use of these sort of channels. ”
3 Replies to “Illegal Cross Borders “Stealing” Courier Business”
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Tumira penzuru zvayo neDHL uone madhuriro ayo. ndezvekwavo izvo
Malaicha are also paying taxes each time they cross the borders. We no longer want these imperialist DHL couriers company.
Courier services charge elephantine charges, mercilessly and without conscience cruelly demanding exorbitant dollars for a simple service. In such an environment of course others who beg a few dollars will not only grab market share but soon possess the market. I say down with the so called couriers. may your business be disrupted. May you hold out your hands, empty as you continue to demand exploitative charges. I bless the community based african style cross border services. May they possess the market.
Take for example the shoe industry. I bought a pair of ‘Rafters’ from bata. Within one month the rafters were a heap of torn scraps. What cost them 3usd they were selling for 30 usd. They were zhing zhong resales from china. I attempted to get a refund but Bata Bulawayo used delaying tactics, hoping to wear me out. Instead I started an in shop demonstration, warning each and every customer that the same ‘rafters’ being sold on the street for 10 usd were being sold for 30 usd in bata. customers were leaving the shop without buying. After the shop had lost at least 200 usd from customers who were going to buy but who were warned that the quality was atrocious, who left, bata paid me out so they could mercilessly exploit uniformed trusting zimbabweans. Now I buy high quality second hand shoes for 15 dollars from street sellers and I am supremely happy with them.
Let me warn those couriers and others who exploit Zimbabweans, then get legislation to assist them in their exploitation…… the power of community will see that in the end your exploitative charges are bypassed through creative entrepreneurs such as street sellers, border traders et al.