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May 25, 20260 citationsOpen Access

Cashing in on mobility: cross-border shopping and the political economy of the Zimbabwe-South Africa borderland

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HCHuman Sciences Research Council

Key Points

  • This chapter aims to examine the impact of cross-border shopping on individuals reliant on mobility within the Zimbabwe-South Africa border region.
  • Discusses the role of actors in facilitating diverse types of border crossings including smuggling and duty evasion.
  • Critically assesses the economic activities surrounding the border, particularly in Musina, South Africa.
  • Utilizes border markets theory to analyze the retail boom in Musina.
  • Highlights that border towns like Musina see increased retail activities due to cross-border shopping.
  • Reveals how actors involved blur legal boundaries to enhance their livelihoods.
  • Indicates that these dynamics create a complex political economy influencing local and cross-border relationships.

Abstract

This chapter discusses how cross-border shopping impacts on actors whose livelihoods are premised on mobility and facilitating these activities across the Zimbabwe���South Africa border. It critically assesses how these actors blur the lines by facilitating all kinds of border crossings including border jumping, excise duty-busting and smuggling. The border markets theory is used to explain why Musina, the border town on the South African side of the Zimbabwe���South Africa border, has experienced a retail boom.

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Cite This Study

Human Sciences Research Council (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a13e8030e02ee3982d32b5chttps://doi.org/10.14749/32382333
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