OK Zim, SA firm in partnership

Sithandazile Moyo Business Reporter
RETAIL chain OK Zimbabwe has signed an agreement with a South Africa-based firm Kawena to enable Zimbabweans in that country to buy goods for their families back home. In a statement, OK Zimbabwe business information systems executive Mr James Madondo said the arrangement was made following realisation that many Zimbabweans employed in South Africa faced challenges to assist families and friends back home.
The agreement was launched in the country on Monday and in South Africa on 26 June.

“Zimbabweans in South Africa will simply visit a Kawena office close to them and make payment into their beneficiary’s OK/Kawena Shop Easy Card,” he said.

Payment would be electronically credited into the recipient’s card who will use it to buy their groceries at any OK, Bon Marche or OKmart store in Zimbabwe.

Mr Madondo said their card was a voucher facility that enabled customers to buy, store credit and send valuables to loved ones locally.
Through their partnership, he said they were not only offering convenience but also speed, security and peace of mind guaranteeing that the goods sent would be received by beneficiaries with quality preserved.

He said monetary authorities from the two countries had already accepted their business line.
“The necessary authorisations for this business line have already been sought and granted by the Reserve Banks of Zimbabwe and South Africa.

“The partners hope to tap into the estimated $500million per year which is remitted by Zimbabweans in South Africa for family support and other personal projects,” said Mr Madondo.

It is hoped that the deal will go a long way in cementing the supermarket chain as a leading retail outlet locally and giving the country an opportunity to capture the value of support given to relatives by Zimbabwean in the diaspora.

Mr Madondo said since their partners had been running similar operations for Mozambicans resident in South Africa, they have vast experience in tapping into the diaspora community for the benefit of relatives at home as well as people abroad.