Lebombo border post between Mozambique and South Africa closed again

The Lebombo Port of Entry is at a standstill again following renewed political tension in Mozambique.

This is according to an article published by Lowvelder this afternoon.

While the Border Management Authority could not be reached for comment by the time of publishing, Lowvelder established that no vehicles are currently passing through the border post.

TRAC, which manages the N4 Toll Route, confirmed that the border post was shut.

#TRACN4route 13/11 #Alert: LEBOMBO BORDER at a standstill with no vehicles able to enter #Mozambique due to political unrest at #RessanoGarcia

— TRAC N4 Toll Route (@TRACN4route) November 13, 2024

“We do not know when the port of entry will be operational again. We urge motorists to abide by the advice given by the authorities to try and stay away from the border post at the moment,” says TRAC spokesperson Solange Soares.

Meanwhile, the Drive Moz Facebook group sent out tips on how to get to Ponta do Ouro and the Maputo reserve.

“We advise you not to drive into Mozambique from today until Friday due to planned protests. Border posts may be blocked, as well as roads,” said the group. “If you have to go to the Maputo resorts in the south, either use the Kosi Bay border or the eSwatini borders into Mozambique. Avoid Boane, Matola and Maputo areas. Between Goba and Bela Vista is a gravel road section that is apparently quite driveable. It is about 21km long.”

It is understood that there is a strong military presence on the Mozambican side (Ressano Garcia Port of Entry) and Kilometre 4.

SA government calls for calm

According to an article published by SANews today, South Africa has reiterated its call for calm and restraint following post-election protests in Mozambique.

International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola said at a media briefing on November 6 that he had spoken with his Mozambican counterpart, Minister Verónica Macamo, and discussed the current security situation in Mozambique following the recent general elections.

“South Africa expresses concern at the outbreak of incidents of post-electoral violence and regrets the loss of lives and destruction of property. We once again reiterate the call made by various leaders in Mozambique to the law enforcement agencies to investigate these incidents and bring the perpetrators to justice speedily.

“We reiterate our calls for calm and restraint, to allow the electoral process to conclude successfully, and to give the Constitutional Court of Mozambique time and space to address the concerns raised by all parties and validate the election results in accordance with its mandate,” Lamola said.

The SANews article reports that as a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), South Africa played a key role in the SADC Electoral Observer Mission (SEOM), which monitored Mozambique’s presidential, legislative, and provincial elections on October 9.

The SEOM, led by the former president of Zanzibar, Dr Amani Abeid Karume, was composed of 53 observers from 10 SADC countries.

More than 17 million Mozambicans were registered to vote, including 333 839 in the diaspora, yet only 7 464 822 turned out on election day, yielding a voter turnout of 43%.

In a preliminary statement, Karume noted the late amendment to Mozambique’s electoral law, which impacted voter education.

Despite this, the SEOM preliminary statement concluded: “The SEOM observed that the pre-election and voting phases of the 2024 Presidential, Legislative, and Provincial Elections were professionally organised, conducted in an orderly, peaceful, and free atmosphere.”

The preliminary statement further identified areas for improvement following the Mozambican elections.

Following the announcement of the preliminary results, President Cyril Ramaphosa emphasised the need for calm, urging respect for legal procedures in resolving election disputes.

“South Africa, therefore, believes that the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections remain the viable set of norms to support the delivery of regular, free, fair, and credible elections in the SADC member states,” Lamola said.

Looking ahead, South Africa welcomes the upcoming SADC Extraordinary Organ Troika Summit and SADC Extraordinary Summit on November 20 in Zimbabwe.

These meetings, preceded by sessions of senior officials and ministers starting on Friday, will focus on recent political developments in the region, including elections in Mozambique, Botswana and Mauritius.