Protesters in Mozambique’s border town of Ressano Garcia seized trucks and used them to block the main highway connecting to South Africa on Monday, according to Trans African Concessions, the operator of the N4 route. Public buses were halted, forcing passengers to walk, and protesters set tires alight near a toll plaza outside Maputo, causing minor damage. Authorities advised travelers to avoid crossing the border until the situation stabilizes.
The protests follow Mozambique’s October 9 elections, which saw the ruling party extend its decades-long hold on power, with presidential candidate Daniel Chapo winning 71% of the vote. Independent candidate Venâncio Mondlane, who came in second, denounced the results as fraudulent and called for protests to demand transparency. Mozambique’s Constitutional Council has since requested voting records from several constituencies for review.
The N4 highway is a critical export route for South African chromite and ferro-chrome, linking the country’s industrial heartland with Maputo port.
