BUSINESS REPORTER
SasaiRemit, one of Africa’s leading digital money transfer providers and a business of Cassava Technologies, has launched a new promotion as it moves to boost remittances from South Africa to Zimbabwe.
Official data from the Zimbabwe National Statistical Agency shows that 700,000 Zimbabweans are leaving in South Africa.
Independent economists estimate that over 3m Zimbabweans are living in South Africa.
Under the promotion “Thatha amathousand”, Zimbabweans living in South Africa can win grocery vouchers by sending a minimum equivalent to US$50 to Zimbabwe.
Mutsa Sibanda, SasaiRemit COO, said they are seeing a “progressive, exponential increase” in remittance inflows from South Africa to Zimbabwe, estimated to be more than R6bn this year.
“This growth underscores not only the importance remittances currently have in supporting the Zimbabwean economy, being one of the most important sources of foreign currency inflows, but also their effect in providing relief to millions of Zimbabweans,” Sibanda said.
“They rely on these funds daily to meet their needs, for sustenance, shelter, education, and healthcare. Despite this, more than 50% of these funds are remitted via informal channels, which presents a security risk for the sender and receiver of the funds. Therefore, this promotion is designed to inspire confidence in thousands of customers that Sasai Remit is committed to providing a safer, more accessible and affordable platform to send money home to their loved ones.”
He added: “The customer is at the heart of our operation, and this initiative further accentuates the company’s long-standing commitment to building trust as well as giving back to its customers who have faced a particularly challenging year in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic with a chance of unlocking grocery vouchers worth thousands of Rand for sending money to Zimbabwe.”
Sibanda said in doing this, SasaiRemit had joined forces with its payment channel partners, that include – Pick’nPay, Shoprite, PEP, Makro, Game, Checkers, Jumbo , Ackermans, Boxer, Builders, and Cambridge, from where customers would also redeem their grocery vouchers.
“In addition, the SasaiRemit beneficiaries in Zimbabwe stand a chance of winning US$50 grocery vouchers when they collect their remittances at any Econet shops , EcoCash outlets or Steward Bank branches. ,” he said.
The two-month-long promotion runs from October 27 to December 26 2022, where hundreds of vouchers will be won every week.
