A 48 year old female remarked: 
I accessed information on products through social media because some shops in Messina had created online WhatsApp groups advertising the goods they had in stock and I would send this information to the runners so that they could buy goods from these shops. The runners were connected to truck drivers plying the South Africa-Zimbabwe route via Beitbridge Border Post regularly, so after buying the goods, the runners would give them to the drivers and provide me with contact details of the truck drivers for communication. The runners charged between 10 and 15% of the total price of commodities ordered. There was no payment of duty using this process since the border was closed due to COVID-19 lockdown.
Another female aged 34 shared: 
On analysing this quote it is clear that although this was a cheaper method compared to the cost they used to incur when they used to cross the border by themselves it was a risky method since there was no guarantee and security that one would receive the goods after paying the runner. More so, in terms of variety they were limited since they were only dealing with few shops that advertised their goods online during the lockdown period because when they crossed the border they had the opportunity and freedom to move around and select preferred goods on their own. The process of using agents was quite long, where sometimes it would take a week or more to receive the goods, unlike crossing the border on their own which took just 3days to South Africa and back to Gweru. The respondents also indicated that some of their customers were no longer buying from them because they thought they were the ones bringing in coronavirus into their country.
Respondents who indicated that they were crossing international borders on their own explained that they imported from Messina, South Africa and Lusaka, Zambia using undesignated areas to enter into these neighbouring countries. The following statements were quoted from those who illegally crossed the border:
During this lockdown I import goods from Messina and use "malaitsha" a person who has close link with police officers and soldiers working at the border both on Zimbabwean and South African sides. I use private transport from Gweru to Beitbridge where I meet with the "malaitsha". The "malaitsha" bribes the police officers and soldiers guarding the undesignated entry point, then we cross through the Limpopo River on the Eastern side of the border post, at a place referred to as "emlanjeni." Upon reaching Messina in South Africa we buy the goods and then the "malaitsha" organises road transport to ferry the goods to the Limpopo River. To transport the goods across the river we use donkey powered scotch carts. Upon reaching Zimbabwean side we use private transport to ferry the goods to Gweru.