SA brothers create app to deliver groceries hassle-free in Zim

What used to be a dreadful mission for a mother – to send essential commodities to her three children living in Zimbabwe – is now a quick errand that doesn’t even require her leaving the house.

A Zimbabwean living in Tembisa, Lindiwe Chevure, said sending food parcels to Zimbabwe for her children and in-laws every month was stressful.

She would send them through informal delivery services in the form of buses or minibuses, also known as malaicha, once a month and always worried about whether they would get to her family in good condition.

“It was so stressful. The malaichas are always expensive and sometimes by the time they got to Zimbabwe, the stuff are damaged or stolen.

“And it’s not always the driver’s fault. Sometimes other passengers just sit there with the intention to steal and there is nothing the drivers can do about it.”

She said her family was also discouraged and told her to avoid using the informal service.

Travelling to Zimbabwe to deliver the items was also stressful as she then had to endure the long queues to cross the border, even recalling a time when she waited for a day and a half just to get through customs.

Two SA brothers who saw the suffering of thousands of Zimbabweans like Lindiwe came up with a solution, malaicha.com.

With the international money transfer service they own already popular in Zimbabwe, they launched an app in June this year.

Malaicha.com executive head in Zimbabwe Sayjil Magan said: “We believe ourselves to be solutionists to the pressing needs of the markets, especially where foreign migrants are concerned. We wanted to create an extremely convenient and legal way for Zimbabweans to send groceries [to their loved ones].

“With this service there are no regulatory issues. We are licensed with both the South African Reserve Bank and the Zimbabwean Reserve Bank.

“With this service, one can download the app from the Google Play Store and register. They can then shop for all the items they need.

“The app is easy and convenient to use.

“Then they can check out and pay at any of the 8,000 selected retail stores around the country – this includes Shoprite, Boxers, Pick n Pay and more.

“Once they have paid, their families can collect the goods at any of our five locations – in Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare, Masvingo and Gweru.”

Users do not have to use data to shop on the app and a 30% delivery fee is charged.

Chevure said: “When I discovered malaicha.com, I remember I was so happy. I called my mom and I told her to go and collect the items in Harare because I have already paid for them and they are already there. My mom was so surprised when she got them in good condition that same day!

“It has really changed my life because I can easily send things home now. All my kids are happy, my in-laws are happy and now I send things about three or four times a month!”

Magan said: “We have about 15,000 people registered on the app within the first three months of operations. We are now looking to expand to Malawi and Mozambique.”

– jenniffero@citizen.co.za

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