ZIMBABWE: EcoCash launches mobile bureau de change

Sasai App, a product of Cassava International and the first of its kind in Africa with several integrations and via three main functions of pay, chat and explore has integrated the newly launched Ecocash bureau de change to improve on remittances.

The integration will see remittance charges being slashed from what used to be 15 percent to zero percentage with effect from September 1, 2019.

The free charge on remittances will run for a period of 30 days after which it will be a mere 2,5 percent.

The service will be available for the UK remit corridor and the South African remit corridor with plans underway to incorporate other global remittance players.

"Our strategy is to identify partners in different markets, especially localised partners who understand the local story and ensure that they provide relevant propositions to the users on the platform. You will find out that with Explore, soon to come, you will be able to play games, stream music and conduct remittances.

"Specific to why we are here today, you will notice that with Sasai's pay feature, you will be able to select remittances as from September 1. The first remittance available will be Cassava remit for the UK corridor and Ecocash remit for the South Africa corridor.

"These will be available on September 1. If you move to the Explore function, you will be able to get the two corridors.

"Strategically, we are planning to ensure that in line with our partnership motive we will add all the available global remittances players on the platform so that our clients have a wide choice and the exploration is unlimited," said Cassava Smartech chief executive officer Mr Eddie Chibi while addressing a press conference on Friday.

Remittances are crucial to the Zimbabwean economy and social fabric as statistics show they account for about $1 billion annually.

Introduction of the Sasai App was informed by the need to create value added services for customers who have most of their time on the social media, hence the three functions of pay, chat and explore, said Mr Chibi.

"Sasai was birthed through identifying that most of us now spent a lot of time and attention on the phone which is mainly on the social media and I think that it was important to introduce payments which are integrated in the space where we socialise.

"What we have done is to say, let us make sure that there is more value added services for our customers including one of the key propositions that brought us here, that is the remittances element," he added.

The company plans to make the Sasai App remittance service available globally in partnership with mobile operators and local banks. It has been behind the scenes to sign up partnerships and integrating them to the Sasai App.

SOURCE: HERALD