The trade relationship between South Africa and Zimbabwe presents a wealth of opportunities for cooperators and cooperative enterprises looking to expand across borders. Thanks to bilateral and multilateral agreements, cooperatives in agriculture, manufacturing and services can benefit from preferential policies, simplified customs procedures and expanded markets.

Preferential Tariff Treatment. Historically, South Africa and Zimbabwe had a bilateral preferential trade agreement—dating back to 1964 and reviewed in 1996—to reduce tariffs, offer rebates and allocate import quotas on mutually traded goods. Although this specific agreement was subsumed by the broader SADC Free Trade Area in late 2018, cooperators can still take advantage of zero or reduced tariffs on originating goods under SADC, COMESA and AfCFTA frameworks.

Simplified Customs and Cross‑Border Trade. Greater regional coordination has improved customs efficiency. Protocols established under COMESA’s Simplified Trade Regime make it easier for smaller cooperatives to trade goods valued under US $2,000 by streamlining documentation and border procedures. Additionally, dedicated one‑stop border posts and mutual customs assistance MoUs enhance cross‑border freight flows.

Legal Protection and Investment Incentives. The South Africa–Zimbabwe Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (BIPPA), signed in 2009 and in force since 2010, offers legal safeguards for investors—including cooperatives expanding operations—ensuring stable investment conditions and safeguards against unfair treatment. This offers peace of mind to cooperatives considering shared ventures across borders.

 Tap into Value‑Added Processing & Infrastructure Projects. Cooperatives active in processing agricultural products and light manufacturing can leverage the demand for goods that meet rules‑of‑origin requirements. Zimbabwean cooperatives, for example, can benefit from the duty-free import of intermediate goods under regional agreements—enabling them to export finished value-added products back into South Africa. Meanwhile South African co-ops in construction, energy and agri‑processing can enter Zimbabwean infrastructure and investment projects, helped by bilateral MoUs on energy and environment .

 Expanded Market Access via SADC and AfCFTA. Both countries are part of SADC Free Trade Area and COMESA, with Zimbabwe having joined AfCFTA in 2020. These agreements increase protective benefits beyond the bilateral context, benefitting cooperatives with access to broader African markets—supporting economies of scale and diversification. Zimbabwe’s SADC chairmanship in 2025 adds momentum to the push for cooperative integration in these platforms .

 Export‑Led Growth in Strategic Sectors. Key sectors—such as agriculture, mining and value-added processing—are strong growth areas. Zimbabwe exported nickel mattes, platinum and coke to South Africa (totaling US $1.39 billion in 2018), while South Africa exported refined petroleum, maize and vehicles (US $3.47 billion in 2023) (oec.world). Cooperatives in agri-processing, agro-tourism and artisanal mining are well positioned to participate in these high-volume cross-border value chains.

 Key Takeaways for Cooperatives

1. Leverage tariff preferences and rules of origin under SADC and COMESA for manufacturing and agricultural exports.
2. Use simplified border regimes to reduce paperwork and speed up trade.
3. Secure legal and investment protections through BIPPA and bilateral frameworks.
4. Share knowledge and enter jointly into regional infrastructure and processing projects.
5. Use Zimbabwe’s SADC chairmanship to drive regional co‑op dialogues.
6. Focus on sectors with high export potential—agro-processing, refined minerals, energy services.