Mozambique post-election tensions disrupt regional trade

Exports and imports through the Port of Maputo and a border post with South Africa have been disrupted amid post-election unrest in Mozambique.

Violence broke out last month after Daniel Chapo, candidate of the ruling Frelimo party, which has held power ever since independence in 1975, was declared the winner of presidential elections with 71% of the vote. Opposition groups allege that the polls were marred by widespread fraud. The Podemos party claims its candidate, Venâncio Mondlane, actually won 53%, while the EU observation mission said it had “concerns regarding the transparency of the counting and tabulation process”.

Unrest over the election result has led to disruption to trade and transport infrastructure, as Podemos and other opposition mobilise seek to protest the results. Many protests have spiralled into fighting between opposition supporters and security forces. Human Rights Watch reports that at least 30 people were killed between 19 October and 6 November.

Port operating company Grindrod announced on 7 November that it was suspending port and terminal operations at Maputo and the nearby facility at Matola, but resumed port operations a day later.

South Africa closed one of its largest border crossing points with Mozambique between 6-11 November, after receiving reports that vehicles were being attacked on the Mozambican side of the Lebombo border post. Large queues of trucks were reported on 13 November. While the crossing point is now open, the South African government is still advising citizens to postpone non-essential travel to Mozambique until further notice.

Disruption to the Port of Maputo is a blow to the regional economy. Maputo is only around 80km from the border crossing at Lebombo; this makes it the closest major port to Gauteng, South Africa’s economic heartland. Much of South Africa’s mineral exports, especially chrome shipments, pass through the port.

Gavin Kelly, CEO of the South African Road Freight Association, reported that the crisis is costing South Africa’s economy ZAR10m ($550,000) per day. Several truck drivers have reported being attacked and have seen their freight looted near the border crossing; one Zimbabwean driver was reportedly killed.

Blow to Mozambique’s trade plans

The crisis looks likely to undermine Maputo’s attempts to capture a greater share of regional trade. Many South African companies have been looking for alternatives to ports such as Durban and Richards Bay in recent years, amid increasingly severe delays in exporting cargoes through these ports blamed on Transnet, the country’s rail freight and port operator. Partly as a result, Maputo has been enjoying a sustained rise in freight volumes; in 2023, it handled a record 31.2 million tons, up 16% on the previous year, according to the Maputo Port Development Company.

As recently as September, logistics giant DP World, which owns MPDC alongside Grindrod and several other partners, announced the port operator would invest $600m in expanding Maputo’s capacity.

Whether Maputo can resume its upward trajectory will depend on the political situation being resolved. Regional leaders will meet to discuss the crisis from 16-20 November. Chapo is due to be inaugurated in January.