Transport companies in Mozambique have declared that they will no longer go through the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa due to the rising level of road insecurity.
At the Ponta do Ouro border, bus and taxi drivers would stop, forcing passengers to board another vehicle to continue their trip—often to Durban, the largest city in KwaZulu-Natal.
Gangs in KwaZulu-Natal regularly halt private and commercial vehicles with Mozambican registrations, looting the passengers, and torching the vehicles.
The most recent assault occurred on Saturday, and Mozambicans responded by torching a car with a South African registration on their side of the border on Monday.
Both South Africans and Mozambicans are transported in the commercial cars.
The road is congested because many Mozambicans frequently go from Maputo to Durban to acquire products to sell in Maputo’s markets and shops.
South Africans, on the other hand, travel to Mozambique primarily for vacations, and the beach in Ponta do Ouro is a favorite among them.
So, the ruling will not only have a negative impact on the transportation industry but also other industries.
It has become too risky to drive in KwaZulu-Natal, according to the president of the Mozambique Federation of Road Transport Operators (Fematro).
At a press conference, he declared, “We have ceased our activity.
The road connecting Maputo with Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa, is nevertheless used by transportation firms despite the fact that occasional attacks have also been reported along that route.
The most recent development is certain to raise pressure on the governments of South Africa and Mozambique to enhance security and reduce tensions between communities along the border.
Although the attacks are random, some reports contend that targeting automobiles with Mozambican registrations is a form of retaliation for the theft of vehicles in South Africa by some Mozambican gangs.
