‘It’s the only way’: Migrants, army face-off along S Africa-Zimbabwe border

South Africa’s military has enhanced border operations along the Limpopo River to halt smugglers and illegal crossings.

Musina, South Africa – Every day, Fadzai Musindo walks across the border between Zimbabwe and South Africa – sometimes via the official border post but usually by taking the more dangerous informal route.

Streams of men, women and children regularly cross the bridge separating the two countries, but for the 43-year-old mother of three, it is a necessity so she can earn enough to fend for her children.

Musindo works as a “runner”, physically carrying goods into Zimbabwe for people who shop in South Africa and need their wares transported to the other side. Amid Zimbabwe’s ailing economy and scarcity of certain items, the job has become popular.

But using the formal Beitbridge border post presents more challenges and expenses than solutions for Musindo.

“I need to save the pages on my passport so I can’t stamp every day. If I did that, I would have to buy a passport every year, I can’t do that,” she said, determined to put off paying the $150 fee for a replacement travel document for as long as possible.