Bridging Informal Remittance Channels and Digital-mobile Technologies in the South Africa-Zimbabwe Corridor

In the backdrop of the growing linkages between informal remittance services and digital, mobile and financial technologies, further research is needed to explore post-pandemic remittance opportunities, challenges, and the role of transport carriers within the informal sector. The project aims to explore how informal cross-border remittance providers (transport carriers) in the Zimbabwe-South Africa corridor have adapted to the post-COVID-19 transformation of the remittance landscape, particularly the integration of digital-mobile technology in cross-border cash and in-kind transfers. Specific objectives include (1) Analyze the role of transport carriers in facilitating cross-border remittances between South Africa and Zimbabwe; (2) Evaluate the impact of digital-mobile technologies on traditional transport-based informal remittance channels, assessing how innovations in financial technology (Fintech) influence cross-border transactions; (3) Investigate changing remittance pathways in the post-COVID-19 era, examining intersections and shifts towards digital-mobile financial services and the extent to which migrants continue to rely on traditional informal remittance services; (4) Identify the main challenges transport carriers experience in facilitating remittance flows between Zimbabwe and South Africa; and (5) Exploring strategies transport carriers employ to remain relevant in the evolving remittance landscape. The study will conduct 60 in-depth interviews with transport carriers, including van, truck, mini-bus, and bus operators, who actively provide cross-border remittance services, in Cape Town and Johannesburg.