Global money transfer firm Western Union has partnered with fintech platform Sasai, a unit of Cassava Technologies, to launch a new international money transfer mobile application targeting users in South Africa, a move that could make it easier for migrants to send money to families in Zimbabwe.
The companies said the app would allow users to send money abroad directly from their smartphones, tapping into growing demand for digital cross-border payments in one of Africa’s most connected markets.
South Africa is home to millions of migrants from across the region, including a large Zimbabwean diaspora that regularly sends remittances to relatives back home.
“South Africa is home to a growing base of digitally savvy consumers with strong cross-border ties who are seeking flexible and reliable ways to move money internationally,” said Mohamed Touhami el Ouazzani, Head of Africa at Western Union.
He said the partnership would expand Western Union’s global network to mobile-first customers and help families and communities remain connected across borders.
The collaboration combines Western Union’s remittance network spanning more than 200 countries and territories with Sasai’s payments infrastructure, which includes regulatory licensing and a fully integrated remittance platform.
Through the co-branded app, users can send money to bank accounts and digital wallets around the world or choose cash collection at retail outlets abroad, an option widely used by families receiving funds in Zimbabwe.
Customers will be able to fund transfers using debit or credit cards, electronic bank transfers or through Sasai’s retail network of more than 150,000 outlets.
Darlington Mandivenga, chief executive of fintech and digital platforms at Cassava Technologies, said the partnership aimed to strengthen financial flows between Africans living abroad and communities across the continent.
“Backed by our regulated assets, integrated tech stack and super-app platform, we are redefining Africa’s payments infrastructure,” he said.
Remittances remain a key source of income for many Zimbabwean households, with a significant share coming from workers based in South Africa.
The new app, available on Android and iOS devices, allows users to register, verify their identity and begin sending money within minutes, the companies said.