Skills Series Part 4 (Madhiri epa Beitbridge – Hatitaure ngano muno!)<\/p>\n
Dear Team,<\/p>\n
Today we come with a different skill from what you have come to expect. This is not graphic design. This is not CCTV installation. This is not tiling.<\/p>\n
But some Zimbabweans are earning a living for their families through this skill. Some are building houses from the income it generates. Some are sending their children to good schools and driving their own cars \u2014 all because they learned how to help other people import vehicles.<\/p>\n
This is not a skill you learn in a classroom. There is no certificate at the end. This is a skill you learn by doing, by watching, by talking, by being present where the action happens.<\/p>\n
This is car import clearing. And it is more lucrative than most people realise.<\/p>\n
Did you know that Zimbabweans import approximately US$600 million worth of vehicles every year?<\/p>\n
Due to the low disposable income of many Zimbabweans and the lack of a vibrant local motor vehicle industry \u2014 brand new cars sold locally are simply too expensive for most people \u2014 Zimbabwe relies heavily on imported used vehicles. The majority come from Japan. These ex-Japanese vehicles are what most Zimbabweans consider “buying a new car,” even though they are technically used.<\/p>\n
For years, the main route was importing through platforms like BeForward, with vehicles shipped via Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. The process works, but it takes two to three months from payment to delivery. That is a long time to wait for your car.<\/p>\n
But there is another option that has been growing rapidly because of one major advantage: speed.<\/p>\n
As soon as you cross the Beitbridge border into South Africa, you are welcomed by rows of garages filled with ex-Japanese vehicles. These are the Messina garages, and they exist specifically to serve Zimbabwean buyers.<\/p>\n
These garages are run by foreign nationals \u2014 Indians, Pakistanis, and others \u2014 who import vehicles directly from Japan and hold them in stock in South Africa. The vehicles are already there, waiting for buyers.<\/p>\n
The advantage? Instead of waiting two to three months, you can have your car in three days.<\/p>\n
Here is how it works:<\/p>\n
1. You travel to Beitbridge
\n2. You find an agent to help you with the clearing process
\n3. You cross the border into South Africa
\n4. You visit the garages in Messina and choose your vehicle \u2014 you see it with your own eyes, you test drive it
\n5. You pay for the vehicle
\n6. The agent handles the duty payment and ZIMRA paperwork
\n7. Within three days, the car crosses over to Zimbabwe and you drive it home<\/p>\n
The prices are not significantly different from importing via Tanzania \u2014 just slightly higher. But you get the car immediately, and you buy something you have physically inspected and tested. No surprises.<\/p>\n
Here is the important part: you cannot do this process on your own. Not easily, anyway.<\/p>\n
You need to deal with ZIMRA for duty calculations and payments. You need to navigate customs procedures. You need to know which garages are trustworthy. You need to handle CID clearance, radiation inspection, ZINARA registration, and CVR for the vehicle books and licence plates. You need to deal with money changers for the ZiG portion of the duty.<\/p>\n
This is where the clearing agent comes in.<\/p>\n
The agent knows the garages. The agent knows the customs officials. The agent knows how to push papers so the process moves quickly. The agent handles everything on your behalf while you wait.<\/p>\n
And for this service, the agent charges $100 for small cars.<\/p>\n
Let us talk numbers.<\/p>\n
The agent charges $100 for the entire clearing process. You, the customer, cover all the actual costs \u2014 duty, transport, fees. The $100 is almost pure profit for the agent.<\/p>\n
But it does not stop there.<\/p>\n
The agent does not work with just one customer at a time. They may be clearing several vehicles concurrently \u2014 three, four, five cars moving through the system at once. That is $300, $400, $500 in agent fees alone.<\/p>\n
The garages also pay commissions to agents who bring customers. Bring enough buyers, and the garage owners start taking care of you.<\/p>\n
Some customers \u2014 especially those in Harare or Bulawayo \u2014 trust their agent enough to send the purchase money and duty payment remotely. The agent buys the car, clears it, and delivers it to the customer’s city. The agent charges delivery fees on top of the clearing fee.<\/p>\n
Now imagine importing just four cars per week at $100 each. That is $1,600 per month in agent fees alone \u2014 before the commissions you get from garages and the extra money you charge to deliver cars to customers in other cities. Deduct your expenses \u2014 airtime, transport, fuel, maybe a salary for an assistant \u2014 and you are still left with significant profit.<\/p>\n
And that is just individual buyers.<\/p>\n
Some agents end up working with bulk buyers \u2014 taxi companies, private companies, organisations, car rental companies. These clients may import more than 10 cars at once. That is over $1,000 in agent fees from a single customer. And these bulk buyers keep coming back. When a taxi company needs to expand its fleet or replace old vehicles, they call the agent they trust. One relationship with a bulk buyer can transform your entire business.<\/p>\n
And this is not just about personal cars. People are importing commercial trucks from Messina \u2014 1 tonne, 3 tonne, all the way up to 15 tonne trucks. These larger vehicles come with higher agent fees and require someone who knows the process well.<\/p>\n
Then there are the civil servants. Teachers, nurses, soldiers, police officers \u2014 many of them import vehicles using the duty rebate scheme. These clients are handled differently. They first buy the vehicle, then apply for duty rebate approval from their line ministry. The approval can take a couple of months. Once approved, you finish the importation process. It takes longer, but here is the advantage: civil servants come with many referrals. A teacher tells their fellow teachers. A nurse tells the other nurses at the hospital. A soldier tells their colleagues at the barracks. One civil servant client can lead to five, ten, twenty more from the same workplace.<\/p>\n
And that is just the baseline. Customers importing SUVs and larger vehicles pay higher agent fees. South African cars \u2014 bought from dealerships and auctions in Johannesburg \u2014 have even higher commissions because the agent may need to travel further, and there is a 15% VAT refund component that agents often share with the client, earning extra in the process.<\/p>\n
Here is what might surprise you.<\/p>\n
These agents are not people with customs degrees or certificates in international trade. Some of them did not even pass O-Level. They are ordinary Zimbabweans who saw an opportunity and learned the skill from others who were already doing it.<\/p>\n
What they have is not formal education. What they have is people skills.<\/p>\n
These are ordinary people who came from Hwange, Guruve, Murehwa, Chirumhanzu, Chipinge, Gutu, Karoi, Gokwe, Hwedza, Nkayi, Mberengwa \u2014 all parts of Zimbabwe \u2014 to go to Beitbridge and earn an income.<\/p>\n
Think about what an agent does every day:<\/p>\n
Convincing customers. They talk to you, the buyer, and persuade you to use their clearing services instead of a competitor’s. They build trust quickly.<\/p>\n
Negotiating with garage owners. They build relationships with the South African garages, getting better deals for their customers and earning commissions along the way.<\/p>\n
Working with ZIMRA officials. They know how to push papers, how to ensure duty is calculated quickly and favourably, how to keep the process moving.<\/p>\n
Dealing with CID. They handle the clearance requirements smoothly, knowing what is needed and who to talk to.<\/p>\n
Managing ZINARA and CVR. They get the vehicle books and licence plates sorted efficiently.<\/p>\n
Working with money changers. They find favourable rates for the ZiG portion of the duty, saving their customers money.<\/p>\n
From start to finish, this business is about talking to people, convincing people, and building relationships. These are people skills. These are not the kind of skills you learn in a classroom.<\/p>\n
That is why we said this is a different skill.<\/p>\n
Successful agents have multiple ways of finding customers:<\/p>\n
Facebook. They post regularly in groups where Zimbabweans discuss cars, buying vehicles, and importing. They share photos of cars they have helped clear, customer testimonials, and information about available vehicles.<\/p>\n
TikTok. Short videos showing the garages in Messina, the clearing process, happy customers driving away in their new cars. Visual proof that builds trust.<\/p>\n
WhatsApp. Status updates, broadcast lists, WhatsApp groups and channels. Keeping their contacts informed about available vehicles and successful deliveries.<\/p>\n
Personal referrals. This is the biggest one. If you help one person satisfactorily, when their friend or relative wants to import a car, they refer them to you. Good service multiplies itself.<\/p>\n
Referrals are everything in this business. One happy customer leads to another, and another. Build a reputation for honesty and efficiency, and the customers keep coming.<\/p>\n
As agents grow, they do not work alone.<\/p>\n
They hire assistants \u2014 people who physically submit papers, stand in queues, move between offices, and handle the logistics while the agent focuses on customers and relationships.<\/p>\n
Some agents have runners on both sides of the border. Some have drivers for delivery services. Some have spotters at the garages who alert them when good vehicles arrive.<\/p>\n
This is a business that can scale. What starts as one person with a phone and hustle can grow into a small operation employing several people.<\/p>\n
The smartest agents do not stay agents forever. They see this skill as a starting point.<\/p>\n
Clearing cars teaches you the customs system inside out. It gives you money quickly with very little capital required. It builds your network of contacts in the import and trade ecosystem.<\/p>\n
Once you are established, consider what comes next:<\/p>\n
Start a car sale. Instead of just clearing for others, buy vehicles yourself and sell them at a markup. Use the knowledge you have gained to spot good deals and avoid problem cars.<\/p>\n
Register a proper customs clearing company. Expand beyond vehicles. Clear a variety of goods from different countries for different clients. Become a licensed clearing agent handling imports for businesses.<\/p>\n
Venture into freight forwarding and shipping. The relationships you build with transporters, customs officials, and logistics providers position you to move into larger-scale import and export facilitation.<\/p>\n
The agent fee is just the beginning. The skill opens doors to much larger opportunities.<\/p>\n
There is no college for this. There is no online course. There is no certificate programme.<\/p>\n
There is only Beitbridge.<\/p>\n
If you want to learn this skill, here is the path:<\/p>\n
Board a bus and get yourself to where the action happens. Everything in this business happens at the border. You cannot learn it from Harare or Bulawayo. You have to be there.<\/p>\n
Watch them work. Observe how they interact with customers, with officials, with garage owners. See the process from start to finish.<\/p>\n
Approach an established agent and offer to assist them at no cost while you learn. Be useful. Carry papers. Stand in queues. Make yourself valuable while absorbing everything you can.<\/p>\n
Some agents might be willing to teach you directly if you compensate them for their time and knowledge. This can accelerate your learning significantly.<\/p>\n
Here is the test: if you cannot convince an established agent to take you on and teach you, then this skill might not be for you. Because this entire business \u2014 from first customer to last stamp \u2014 is about talking to people and convincing them. If you cannot do that with a potential mentor, you will not be able to do it with customers, officials, and garage owners.<\/p>\n
This skill requires boldness. It requires persistence. It requires the ability to build relationships quickly and maintain them over time.<\/p>\n
This skill is for you if:<\/p>\n
– You are comfortable talking to strangers
\n– You can handle rejection and keep pushing
\n– You are willing to relocate to Beitbridge
\n– You have patience to learn a complex process with many moving parts
\n– You are honest and reliable \u2014 reputation is everything in this business
\n– You see yourself as a salesperson and relationship builder<\/p>\n
This skill is probably not for you if:<\/p>\n
– You are shy and struggle to approach new people
\n– You need a structured classroom environment to learn
\n– You are not willing to start at the bottom and work your way up
\n– You expect quick results without putting in the groundwork<\/p>\n
This skill will not make you rich overnight. You will need to learn the process, build relationships, establish your reputation, and grow your customer base over time.<\/p>\n
But look at what is possible. $600 million worth of vehicles crossing the borders every year. Thousands of Zimbabweans wanting to import cars and needing someone to help them navigate the process. A business that requires almost no capital to start \u2014 just knowledge, hustle, and people skills.<\/p>\n
The agents making good money today were once exactly where you are now. They did not have degrees in customs. They did not have certificates in international trade. They had the courage to go to Beitbridge, find someone to teach them, and start learning.<\/p>\n
This is the fourth skill in our series. We have covered graphic design, CCTV installation, floor tiling, and now car import clearing. Different skills for different people. Somewhere in this series is a skill that matches who you are and what you can do.<\/p>\n
Find yours. Learn it. Build something.<\/p>\n
With belief in your ability to create your own opportunity,<\/p>\n
ZimLedger Admin<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" An Open Letter to Zimbabwean Youth and Aspiring Entrepreneurs Skills Series Part 4 (Madhiri epa Beitbridge – Hatitaure ngano muno!) […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1411,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1410","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-articles","category-business-ideas"],"yoast_head":"\n