Durban - Aid organisation, Gift of the Givers has stepped in to provide much-needed relief to those who have been queueing at the Lebombo border post with Mozambique for the past few days.
Political unrest in Mozambique after its October elections has led to the processing of vehicles, pedestrians and cargo trucks at the border post being slow or at times it has been suspended.
Gift of the Givers founder, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, said that they have dispatched a team to the Lebombo border with Mozambique to partner with SAPS to provide temporary assistance.
“The civil unrest in Mozambique has restricted the border to opening only a few hours a day, causing a huge backlog on the South African side. Working with the SAPS, Gift of the Givers will use one of their stations to store water, energy drinks, juices, energy bars, and biscuits to assist the elderly and children predominantly to stave off dehydration and hunger whilst they await clearance.”
Sooliman added that they are hopeful the crisis will be resolved quickly.
He added that they would assist those heading home to Mozambique as well as truck drivers if they needed help.
He said while the truck drivers had money to buy supplies, they can’t access shops because there is nothing around or supplies have run out and they can’t leave their trucks unattended.
Gavin Kelly, CEO of the Road Freight Association, said that the situation appears to be deteriorating, and they urged all exporters and transporters to follow guidelines and instructions as issued by the respective government agencies.
“The situation remains highly unpredictable and subject to sudden changes. The route between Ressano Garcia, the Lebombo border post, and Maputo has been repeatedly blocked. Commercial vehicles have been specifically targeted, and trade severely disrupted.”
Tonny Molise, spokesperson for the Truckers Association of South Africa (Tasa), said that the association acknowledges the challenges faced by their drivers who were recently stranded at the Lebombo Border Post.
“We are pleased to report that cargo movement has now been restored, although it is currently operating on a ‘stop-and-go’ basis. The border management is closely monitoring the situation to ensure the smooth flow of traffic.”
Barbara Mommen, trade and transport corridor specialist, said that there was an acute awareness of, and appreciation for, the complex and difficult circumstances which have given rise to the current situation in Mozambique.
“The uppermost concerns relate to the extreme challenges which now face trade, not only in South Africa and Mozambique, but the entire region as it attempts to grapple with the aftermath of the destabilisation of the Maputo Corridor.”
Dr Juanita Maree, chief executive of the Southern Africa Association of Freight Forwarders (Saaff), said Maputo has long been a vital port for regional and international trade, growing significantly in importance over the last 15 to 20 years.
“To varying degrees, the implications of this crisis will have a long-term negative impact on all the countries in the SADC region. The loss of important infrastructure servicing trade and transport on the corridor will be felt for many months and even years,” she said.