It will add to red-hot consumer demand that is already being blamed for driving inflation. This has breached the upper-ceiling of the central bank’s 3% to 6% CPIX (consumer inflation less mortgage costs) target band for three months in a row.
Statistics show South African spending continues at a brisk pace. Retail sales for May grew by 9,5% year-on-year from 5,9% in April, appearing to shrug off two percentage points of interest-rate increases since June last year.
Higher borrowing costs have done little to dampen the spending spree and the central bank has warned that it will act to rein it in.
The Reserve Bank again lifted rates by 50 basis points to 9,5% in June and has hinted that it may be the start of a fresh monetary tightening cycle.
There may be little the bank can do, though, if a new wave of consumers is helping to keep South African sales ticking — and may continue to do so for a long time given the economic troubles of once-thriving Zimbabwe.
It is not just Zimbabweans who are flocking to South Africa.
"Retailers at the border are reporting up to 75% growth in turnover, their stock is flying off the shelves," said Munyaradzi Mandizha, editor of a newly launched newspaper targeting the cross-border trading industry.
"The copper belt in Zambia is booming, and those who would have sourced their supplies from Zimbabwe are now coming to South Africa. So, we expect more and more traders to come to here, from as far as Kenya," Mandizha said.
Zimbabwe has been battered by crippling shortages in foreign currency, petrol and food. Economists put inflation for May at 4 500%.
One bus company official said the number of buses ferrying shoppers from Zimbabwe has doubled in the past year, and the shrinking manufacturing industry in that country has forced Malawians and Zambians to come further south for supplies.
Joyce Essel-Mensah, manager of tertiary sectors at Statistics South Africa, said the activity in the border towns is just the tip of the iceberg because most shoppers travel to the financial hub of Johannesburg.
"Most people go up to Johannesburg anyway because it is cheaper. Very few shop in the border towns," she told Reuters.
Analysts said the demand from South Africa’s neighbours could help explain the strength in retail sales, even though it may not be the main contributor.
"There’s bound to be a big impact in some areas, especially the lower end of the retail market, if you consider that some Zimbabweans in South Africa have started sending groceries instead of money," said Mike Schussler, economist at T-Sec.