Traffic disruptions in Maputo causes chaos

Traffic on the Maputo-South Africa motorway (National Road EN4) came to a standstill again on Wednesday morning as motorists refused to pay tolls at the gate between Maputo and Matola.

According to independent television station STV, the disruption was led by minibus drivers—known locally as chapas—who provide much of the city's public transport. The drivers deliberately blocked the road, preventing vehicles from passing in either direction. As a result, passengers had no choice but to disembark and walk to their destinations.

Escalating their protest, the chapa drivers hijacked a fuel tanker and placed it across the road, warning police that any attempt to disperse them would lead to an explosion. Taking the threat seriously, authorities refrained from intervening, allowing the blockade to paralyze a vital part of Maputo’s transport network.

But who is funding this disruption? A minibus stuck in protest isn’t collecting fares, making this action far more costly for drivers than simply paying the toll. With tolls for light vehicles set at just 40 meticais (about 63 US cents) and discounts available for public transport and frequent users, affordability isn’t the issue—especially given fuel prices of 86.25 meticais per liter for petrol and 91.23 meticais for diesel.

If the chapa drivers are acting against their own financial interests, suspicion arises that external forces may be paying them to destabilize the Mozambican economy.