Janfar Abdulai, Mozambique’s Minister of Transport and Communications, has said the partial closure of borders with South Africa may lead to a reduction in cargo handling and affect the country’s economy.
Abdulai said this when he visited Mozambique’s southern border area Ressano Garcia on Tuesday after South Africa announced its decision to close all its 20 land border posts until February 15 to curb the spread of COVID-19.
The transportation of essential commodities and the return of South African nationals are still allowed.
“Our transport system in the south zone is closely related to the cargo coming from South Africa. This shutdown will affect the normal functioning of the system and, consequently, the reduction of the loads that feed our ports, I speak also of the railway lines and ports,’’ Abdulai said.
The closure involves two of the busiest borders – Ressano Garcia and Ponto do Ouro – mostly used by Mozambican travellers.
The National Migration Service also said that the movement of entries and exits is now restricted, which means that people who had been stuck long hours and even days at the borders had to return to their homes.