Trade between South Africa and Mozambique via the Lebombo/Ressano Garcia Border corridor has slowed to a third of its usual capacity due to lower truck activity, driven by fears surrounding heightened political tensions.
These tensions culminated in the presidential inauguration of Frelimo's Daniel Chapo on Wednesday. Analysts anticipate that trade will recover over the weekend as businesses from both nations collaborate to sustain the supply chain.
Data from bilateral business organisations, shown to Business Report, shows truck movements are operating at 30% of capacity—26% lower than the previous Thursday. Key categories such as general cargo, exports, and fuel saw an average 71% decline in line with reduced truck activity. However, small-scale importers of essential goods and foodstuffs recorded a 17% increase.
In the lead-up to Wednesday, a public holiday, daily truck traffic dropped to 448 vehicles—down from 1 000 last Thursday—following the return of opposition leader Venâncio Mondlane. Train movements along the border remain suspended due to barricades at multiple points.
The Lebombo Corridor processes goods worth R410 million daily in customs and excise value. December’s disruptions have reportedly resulted in a revenue loss of R5 billion, based on monthly averages over the past year. The corridor typically handles 1 500 trucks daily, comprising 80% minerals for export, 13% general cargo (including manufacturing components), 3.5% Mozambique exports to South Africa, and 3.5% fuel destined for South Africa and Botswana.
"We don’t want the supply chain disrupted. It’s vital for connecting key markets," a business source emphasized.
South African Association of Freight Forwarders (SAAF) CEO Dr Juanita Maree noted that business entities are working to leverage growth opportunities amid challenges. "The borders are never closed. December saw no long queues—the longest was about 5kms, but now it's 1km or lesso at most. Efficiency is high, but cargo volumes have significantly dropped due to fear," she said.
Maree added that large businesses face more attacks on their trucks compared to smaller businesses and informal traders.
To mitigate delays, bilateral business organisations have contingency plans to prioritise critical supply trucks, such as those carrying food, medicine, fertilisers, and fuel. These procedures are being developed in collaboration with stakeholders and will be implemented if queue lengths increase.
In a separate report, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) highlighted the regional impact of Mozambique's post-election crises and tropical storms. As of January 9, over 5 000 Mozambican nationals had fled to Malawi and Eswatini. UNHCR, in collaboration with Malawi's Department of Refugees, registered 4 216 arrivals in Nsanje District in late December, while Eswatini received 1 064 individuals seeking safety.
Although daily cross-border movements have slowed, arrivals from Mozambique to neighboUring countries continue, reflecting the ongoing impact of political and environmental challenges.
BUSINESS REPORT