- South Africa and Mozambique have agreed to enhance diplomatic channels for continuous engagement to minimise disruptions to trade and supply chains amid the ongoing post-election turmoil in the neighbouring country.
- The border post’s operations were suspended recently due to protests in Mozambique, which caused disruptions near the Mozambique and South African border.
- The political unrest also threatens vital gas and electricity exports from Mozambique to South Africa.
Demonstrations began at the end of October in Maputo after Daniel Chapo, the Frelimo candidate, was officially declared the winner of the elections with over 71% of the vote. Protesters are contesting the results of the 9 October elections, which allowed the ruling Frelimo party to extend its 49-year rule. The protests, primarily led by young people, have resulted in violent clashes with the police, leading to at least 18 deaths, according to Human Rights Watch.
Political protests in Mozambique have already disrupted power supply to Zambia. Read more
Mozambique’s Constitutional Council will rule on the validity of the electoral outcome on Monday, 23 December which may trigger further political unrest in the country.
Paula Cristina Roque writes that Mozambique is not experiencing a coup – “it’s a people’s revolution of unprecedented proportions demanding electoral truth and justice for assassinated activists. It’s a march against poverty, exclusion, violence, and the arrogance of a ruling party that decides, without consent, the fate of 33 million people, denying them a voice, a platform, a role in the democracy that camouflages Frelimo with a mantle of credibility.
Mozambique’s ruling party has lost legitimacy, it’s in disarray and without a political solution to the post-election crisis sparked by mass fraud. It’s time for Frelimo to step down and begin a transition of power where opposition parties led by Podemos, and civil society can recalibrate governance and open the way for a new political order based on the rule of law, socioeconomic justice, and accountability.” Read more
International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola and his Mozambican counterpart, Pascoal Ronda, held a joint media briefing after the inter-ministerial meeting in Mpumalanga on Wednesday morning. Image credit: SAnews.gov.za
South Africa’s International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola and his Mozambican counterpart, Pascoal Ronda, held a joint media briefing after the inter-ministerial meeting in Mpumalanga on Wednesday morning. At the meeting Lamola acknowledged that the crisis in Mozambique was putting South Africa’s national security at risk. “In terms of energy security, this corridor is very important for South Africa … for petroleum products and for gas through the pipeline,” said Lamola. He added that South Africa was looking into measures to mitigate the risk to energy security.
South Africa’s is dependent on imports of electricity and gas from Mozambique. South Africa imports around 1.2 GW from Mozambique’s Cahora Bassa hydro dam which is, operated by the government owned Hidroeléctrica de Cahora Bassa (HCB). Mozambique has other gas production operated by Sasol (South Africa) in Inhambane Province, which holds proven reserves of 2.6 TCF. The natural gas is produced and processed at a central facility in Temane and then exported via an 865 km pipeline to South Africa.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
