Online Reporter
Your Money, Your Call
Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba
More Zimbabweans are turning to “runners” — those indispensable middlemen who promise to procure goods on their behalf from South Africa, Tanzania or China.
The arrangement seems simple: send the money and receive the goods.
Yet, what should be a lifeline has, for far too many, become a perilous trap.
From WhatsApp groups to Facebook timelines, warnings are growing louder: missing parcels, ignored messages and broken promises.
Families send funds intended for school supplies, while entrepreneurs invest capital meant to restock shelves.
However, neither the items nor refunds materialise in most cases. Instead, victims are met with silence or being blocked. In these moments, the runner is not merely unreliable — they become unreachable.
The allure of using runners is undeniable.
Zimbabwe’s formal retail sector is often prohibitively expensive due to high import duties and supply constraints.
Runners fill this void with offers that feel accessible, timely and personal.
Whether it is a cousin’s friend based in Johannesburg or a long-standing seller posting photos from Guangzhou, an unspoken contract of trust is at play. But when this trust is violated, victims are left stranded, with no official receipts and few avenues for justice.
What options does the average buyer have?
Unfortunately, legal recourse quickly becomes complicated. If the runner resides outside Zimbabwe, police efforts often end at the border.
These are typically low-dollar-value transactions that do not meet the threshold for international cooperation.
Even when the runner is local, proving fraud and recovering funds can feel like chasing shadows, especially if all you possess are mobile money transfer receipts and voice notes.
Consumer advocacy groups have taken note.
The Consumer Council of Zimbabwe has strongly urged the public to exercise caution.
“Do not be swayed by flashy posts,” one official advised.
“Check for referrals, avoid paying in full upfront and work with people you or your networks can personally vouch for. Where possible, use an escrow service or a digital platform with buyer protection.”
While formal safeguards are limited, community-led efforts have quietly emerged.
Some Harare residents have established vetting groups where people rate and review runners, sharing both red flags and trusted contacts.
Social media, too, has become a kind of informal court, where dishonest sellers are named and shamed.
But what if we thought even bigger?
Instead of relying on patchwork warnings and reputational whispers, the country’s informal commerce might benefit from something bolder: a mediation framework.
Imagine a low-cost, neutral service designed to help resolve disputes between buyers and runners, offering a path to resolution before trust completely breaks down.
By registering transactions, tracking goods and holding both sides accountable, mediation could restore dignity to an increasingly risky trade.
More ambitiously, the authorities could explore registering runners through a regulated directory — one that incorporates ratings, credibility scores and complaint records.
This not only protects consumers, but also provides ethical runners with an opportunity to build trust and grow sustainably.
It also opens the door for digital entrepreneurs to create secure payment channels and mobile dispute systems that are compatible with the unique realities of informal trade.
The truth is Zimbabweans are not naive.
They are innovative, resourceful and relentlessly hopeful. Runners are not inherently bad; they are part of an organic supply system that filled a critical gap. However, this system urgently needs to evolve.
Without reform, every lost parcel chips away at more than just savings — it erodes people’s resilience, faith and dreams. It is time we rethink how we protect trust before it transforms into a trap.
Cresencia Marjorie Chiremba is a marketing consultant with a strong passion for customer service/experience. Contact details: [email protected] or +263712979461, 0719978335, 0772978335, www.customersuccess.co.zw
Online Reporter