Maputo, 30 Oct (AIM) – The delay in managing cargo has been causing a long queue of trucks at the Machipanda border post, in the central Mozambican province of Manica, as the vehicles wait to pass from Mozambique to Zimbabwe and other hinterland countries.
The congestion is apparently caused by the delay in clearing cargo on the Zimbabwean side. It reached its peak during the weekend, when the queue was around 15 kilometres long.
According to the Manica Director of Customs, Arsénio Luís, cited in Monday’s issue of the Maputo daily “Notícias”, the situation could be overcome soon, especially because “there is an effort on both sides to reduce the flow of trucks to avoid negative impacts on the economies of the countries receiving the goods”.
He explained that when the queue is long on the Mozambican side, vehicles are directed to transit parks already created, namely in Manica Town, Messica and Inchope, with a view to avoiding congestion on National Highway Number 6 (the road from Beira to Zimbabwe).
Luis believed that the long queues, which have been occurring since the beginning of the month, are also causing damage to other vehicles.
The Machipanda border, in addition to ensuring connection with neighboring Zimbabwe and other hinterland countries, is very important for the development of the Beira corridor.
“That is why we are in permanent contact with our counterpart to decongest the queues that have formed on both sides”, Luis explained.
Impatient due to the slowness, truck drivers interviewed asked government authorities to make customs clearance of goods more flexible on both sides to get the cargo to the recipient in good time.
They also said that even leaving Zimbabwe for Mozambique with an empty truck, “you have to wait in line and there is a risk of waiting five or more days to continue the journey.”
(AIM)
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