Wary of protests, Eswatini business with Mozambique continues

MBABANE: Eswatini’s sugar export lifeline linking Mlawula and Maputo remains open despite serious concerns with the security situation in Mozambique.

Eswatini Railway’s Sive Manana says because they are conscious of the security situation, they had to cancel their highly anticipated tourist passenger train; normally an important treat for people wishing for a day out on the coast and cuisine of Maputo.

“We had to cancel our tourist passenger train which was sheduled to take place at the end of November,” he said. “However, we still move some freight trains to Maputo port on a daily basis depending on advise that we get from our Mozambucan counterparts”.

The Eswatini Railway line to Maputo is the main gateway for sugar from the Eswatini Sugar Association railway depot at Mlawula to the Maputo seaport 74 kilometres away. “We are in also in regular contact with all our customers who use the Maputo port. The security situation is continously being monitored and all precaustions are taken depending on the volatility of the situation”.

The Eswatini Sugar Association which handles the marketing and sales of sugar from the country’s three sugar mills at Mhlume, Simunye and Big Bend, sold 605,557 metric tonnes of both raw and refined sugar in the 2022/23 season. Exports to world markets go through the port city of Maputo to four main markets in the EU, the USA. A significant quantity of the sugar product is increasingly going to the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) and the Africa regional market.

Eswatini Railway has also become an important mover of South African coal and offers an express service to get coal from the Mpumalanga Province quickly to Maputo. South African road hauliers bring the coal by road to the rail head at Sidvokodvo where it is railed to Maputo. This route dodges congestion at the Lebombo Komatipoort border where traffic can stand for days, creating expensive logistical delays.

Mover of coal

Since 2021, ESR has moved one train of coal per day – bringing important tonnage to ESR freight business. The transporter achieved a landmark 1 million tonnes of coal railed from its Sidvokodvo siding to Maputo Port between 2021 and 2023.

“But overall freight is moving to and from Maputo though with frequent disturbances and security issues,” he said.

Concern with Mozambique’s security situation which flared after 9 October elections when the elections authorities said had been won by Frente de Libertaçao de Moçambique (Frelimo) candidate Daniel Chapo. Chapo is the anointed successor to outgoing President Felipe Nyusi. However Chapo’s challenger, Venâncio Mondlane, a pastor and former radio host has led month-long nationwide demonstrations to press his claim that he had won the elections.

In a rare travel advisory yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs cautioned travellers against non-essential travel.

“While the Kingdom of Eswatini values the cordial relations with Mozambique and supports efforts to restore normalcy by the Government of Mozambique, it is imperative to ensure the safety of Emaswati traveling to Mozambique, especially during the upcoming holiday season,” the ministry said.

For those who must travel to Mozambique, the ministry advised that they regularly check updates from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, the High Commission of the Republic of Mozambique in Mbabane and the High Commission of the Kingdom of Eswatini in Maputo to update themselves with the prevailing situation in Mozambique.

Jm/today/4.12.2024