Maputo — Much of the travelling public in Maputo and the neighbouring city of Matola will benefit from reductions in fares charged by private transport operators as from Monday.

Following the two increases in the price of fuel in June, owners of the private minibus-taxis (known colloquially as "chapas") that provide much of the transport in the two cities were authorised to raise their flat rate fare by 50 per cent.

The cost of a single journey anywhere in the Maputo-Matola connurbation, regardless of distance, rose from 5,000 to 7,500 meticais (at current exchange rates there are about 24,500 meticais to the US dollar).

The angry protests at this fare rise have now led to the abolition of the flat fare system. Most chapa routes will now have two fares - in general, a fare for a distance of under 10 kilometres will revert to the old figure of 5,000 meticais.

Distances in excess of 10 kilometres will continue to cost 7,500 meticais.

There are exceptions. A few intermediate journeys will cost 6,000 or 6,500 meticais. And fares for students fall to 5,000 meticais, regardless of the distance travelled.

Those chapas that travel from Maputo to the MOZAL aluminium smelter, which lies beyond the boundaries of Matola, will be allowed to charge 10,000 meticais for the journey.