Thupeyo Muleya, thupeyo.muleya@zimpapers.co.zw
LIFE along the Zimbabwe-South Africa border has its own rhythm, a pulse shaped by movement, grit and the constant shuffle of people in search of opportunity. Among this tide of humanity is a quiet force often overlooked: the Beitbridge porters, men and women whose strength and determination have built an informal trade that keeps cross-border life stitched together. They move like seasoned dancers across the frontier, balancing impossible weights on their heads for a modest fee, carving out a living one perilous journey at a time.
Meet the figures affectionately known as MaZalawi — a nickname borrowed from a well-known Zambian trucking company whose heavy duty presence once dominated the region. Much like the truckers, these porters have become part of the border’s very identity, their silhouettes etched into the daily theatre between Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Some rely solely on the resilience of their bodies, while others push humble bicycles laden with goods, weaving through the continent’s busiest land port as though propelled by instinct alone.
In years past, Zalawi trucks would thunder through this gateway carrying copper from Zambia to distant international markets. Today, the human counterparts who bear their name run tirelessly from dawn until dusk, chasing cars as they offload passengers between Musina and the South African border post, each porter vying for the next client. The most persuasive voices secure steady business, especially from cross border traders with flea market goods who move between the two nations with the regularity of tides.
In whispered conversations, most porters speak of trust — trust from travellers, from border officials, from one another. It is the invisible currency that keeps their world turning.
“It’s tough, but we have no other choice. We carry these goods to feed our families. The pay is little, but it’s better than nothing,” said Password Chikochi.
He said that on a fortunate day he can make three full trips from the South African side to the Zimbabwean one, with load charges varying between R100 and R200 depending on the merchandise.
“However, our challenge is that the number of people doing this job keeps increasing and we end up compromising on prices. But on average we take home at least R300 daily.”
Some cross with passports, renewing them more often than their pockets would prefer, while others move through the border without documentation at all. Chikochi has supported his family for two years through this work, though not without cost.
“The challenge is that at times our members overwork themselves and when they get sick it becomes difficult for them to recover. We have buried some who have overstrained their bodies by carrying heavy loads,” he added.
The risks are not imagined. Experts warn that repeated heavy lifting can lead to musculoskeletal disorders, injuries that creep into the bones, nerves and spine like unwelcome shadows. Yet the porters push on.
“I have been doing this for years. It’s hard work, but I’m proud. I support my children’s education and feed my family,” said a Zalawi known simply as Mai Sibanda. She emphasises that trust is the bedrock of their trade:
“Building trust with travellers is the most important thing to survive in this trade. On very rare occasions have we seen our colleagues stealing from clients.”
Weekends, month ends and holidays bring a flood of travellers — as many as 30 000 on peak days — and business swells accordingly. On a quieter day, a porter may still earn between R300 and R400, but luck dictates everything. Some, however, admit that not all journeys are straightforward. One anonymous porter confessed that those without stamped passports sometimes must negotiate their way through trouble, paying fines ranging from R1 500 to R3 000 if caught on the South African side, while in Zimbabwe goods can be confiscated over unpaid levies.
“You will note that the option of using illegal entry points at the Limpopo River is dreaded by many. In fact, the river is dangerous, and thieves target us, so we end up using the Old Limpopo Bridge to move goods, which is safe for us and the travellers,” he said.
Endless searches by customs and security officials add to the strain, but most porters insist clients disclose what they are carrying to avoid serious problems.
Chairperson of the Beitbridge Informal Traders Association, Mafios Macheka, speaks with respect about their essential role.
“Cross-borders, who used to transport goods across by vehicles are now not able to cross due to a number of challenges and our members now largely depend on Ma Zalawi to carry their goods across. Most of them are reliable and honest and they value the importance of this job that ensures they make a living and feed their families,” he said.
For travellers like Patience Moyo, the porters are nothing short of a blessing. The distance between the two countries’ border components — nearly 4km — is punishing for those on foot.
“These porters bring relief to people seeing that it’s now expensive for many to cross with their vehicles. They reduce the burden of carrying luggage on most travelling pedestrians,” she said.
Yet she expresses concern for their well being: “However, it is worrying to witness how these people tend to abuse themselves with the amount of luggage they carry on a daily basis from one end of the border to the other. In as much as it helps them economically it is a threat to their health.”
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