For many travelers and traders moving between South Africa and Zimbabwe, the Beitbridge Border Post is a daunting bottleneck of red tape, long queues, and expensive customs duties. In the gaps where the law ends and desperation begins, a unique informal industry has emerged. They are known as the Zalawi.
The name itself is a colloquial nod to the massive “Zalawi” haulage trucks that crisscross the SADC region