BY MOSES MATENGA
MILLIONS of cross-border traders have been pushed into abject poverty due to the continued closure of borders as a result of COVID-19, the Zimbabwe Cross-Border Traders Association said yesterday.
The association’s leader Killer Zivhu yesterday commended President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga for making “sterling efforts” to combat the spread of COVID-19, adding that it had been difficult to balance between saving lives and business.
Zivhu said his organisation would assist cross-border traders to buy goods from manufacturers in neighbouring countries without risking their lives crossing illegally.
“More than four million families across the country have been affected,” Zivhu said.
“Most of the parents have been forced to withdraw children from school, families are failing to have three meals a day and nobody knows what will happen.
“Some have been forced to migrate to villages where they find it difficult to survive.”
Zivhu said they have since come up with a relief plan.
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“We have come up with a plan to say we want to support the government and the President. We want to support the vision of the President and this is what we now want to do as an association with other partners involved in cross-border trading, which include transporters and manufacturers,” he said.
“We are going to bring the goods from manufacturers in South Africa, Botswana. They include groceries and we bring them and people will get them for the same price they get in retail shops in Botswana, South Africa and other countries.”
Zivhu said at least 28 trucks had since been set aside for the programme.
“We are also open to other transporters, but they have to come through Docfin Truckers. Those are the ones who will contract others,” he said, adding that over 1 000 people were crossing illegally into South Africa everyday, risking their lives and facing a lot of challenges such as robbery, mugging, rape or murder.
“I stand for the truth. The President has done great as far as COVID-19 is concerned. To me, ED is a solid mountain in the Sadc region as far as COVID-19 is concerned. I know of a number of South Africans, Batswana and people from other countries who have come here to be vaccinated. As cross-borders, in our millions, we will support him in his fight to combat COVID-19.”
- Follow Moses on Twitter @mmatenga
