Durban — As political tension continues to simmer in Mozambique over allegations of vote-rigging by supporters of Venacio Mondlane, South African trucks were allegedly blocked on Saturday in the neighbouring country.
On Saturday, several South African trucks were reportedly blocked in the neighbouring country, further complicating the already fragile trade between the two Southern African nations sparked by the upheavals in Mozambique.
This blockade is not an isolated incident. Just months after the contentious elections in October, tumult erupted in Mozambique when supporters of Mondlane disputed the ruling Front for the Liberation of Mozambique (Frelimo's) victory in the polls.
The outcry led to widespread protests, where thousands filled the streets, targeting trucks and logistics operations tied to South African companies.
It was not immediately clear how many South African trucks were blocked on Saturday.
The chief executive of the Southern Africa Association of Freight Forwarders (SAAFF) Dr Juanita Maree said the conflict in Mozambique has had a heavy toll on South Africa.
“The geopolitical conflict in Mozambique comes at a very delicate time for South Africa when logistics and supply chain are under disruptive challenges,” said Maree.
Maree's call for intervention from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) highlighted an urgent need for regional stability.
“We are calling on SADC member states to immediately step into a leadership role as mediators to restore law and order and stabilise trade operations, which are critical to the regional economy,” she emphasised.
The SAAFF was formed in 1921 and is a national association with members across the country.
Barbara Mommen, a trade and transport corridor specialist, echoed these concerns, reflecting on the dire situation facing trade in the region.
“The uppermost concerns relate to the extreme challenges which now face trade not only in South Africa but the entire region as it attempts to grapple with the aftermath of the destabilisation of the Maputo corridor,” Mommen stated.
At the height of the protest in Mozambique in October, Gavin Kelly, the chief executive of the Road Freight Association (RAF) said that the closure of the Lebombo border resulted in losses for the trucking industry to the tune of R5 billion.
He called for the South African government and other African countries to intervene and quell the impasse in Mozambique.
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