SA, Mozambique meet on escalating protests

By Akani Nkuna

South Africa and Mozambique have agreed that both countries will endeavour to protect and secure the infrastructure to facilitate trade and continue to collaborate to ensure minimum disruption of people and goods over the border.

International Relations and Cooperation Minister Ronald Lamola and Mozambique’s Interior Minister, Pascoal Ronda, met in Malelane in Mpumalanga on Wednesday to discuss ways of maintaining regional stability and economic growth.

This follows ports of entry, particularly Lebombo, being impacted by post-election violence in Mozambique.

“The ministers agreed amongst others, to enhance channels for frequent and continues engagements at a diplomatic level of bilateral level to mitigate disruptions to trade and supply chains, jointly identify alternative routes and deploy additional resources to expedite and facilitate trade, and collaborate with all stakeholders particularly in business in order to limit the impact of the disruptions on their operations,” said Lamola.

He said that the meeting