25 February 2008
Maputo — Owners of the minibuses that provide much of the passenger transport in Maputo (colloquially known as "chapas") pulled their vehicles off the roads on Monday morning, in protests at the government's alleged failure to honour its promise of a fuel subsidy.
When chapa fares rose by up to 50 per cent on 5 February, this provoked serious rioting in Maputo, leading the government and the Federation of Road Transport Associations (FEMATRO) to restore the old fare. But FEMATRO demanded compensation for the lost fare rise, and so the government agreed to subsidise the diesel used by chapas.
Instead of the current price of 35.35 meticais (about 1.47 US dollars) for a litre of diesel, the chapas will only pay 31 meticais. However, the mechanisms to make this subsidy viable are not yet in place.
Tired of waiting, chapa owners in Maputo and the neighbouring city of Matola went on strike on Monday, much to the surprise of both the government and FEMATRO.
Interviewed on Radio Mozambique, Transport Minister Antonio Mungwambe said the government is working as fast as it can to implement its promise to "compensate" the minibus owners. He said accounts have been opened in all regions where "chapas" operate, which will pay out the subsidy.
But the method chosen will certainly not be to the liking of the chapa operators. Mungwambe said they would go on paying the price of 35.35 meticais a litre, and only claim the subsidy at the end of each month. To claim the money, they would have to present their licence, and the receipts proving how much diesel they have used.
The government suspects that the people behind Monday's strike are unlicensed (and thus illegal) operators, who know that they will not benefit from the subsidy until they regularize their situation.
A FEMATRO representative appealed over the radio for all chapa operators to resume work, assuring them that they will receive the subsidy. Both Mungwambe and the FEMATRO official urged unlicensed operators to apply for licenses.
To obtain a chapa license its owner needs to present the document proving he owns the vehicle, and the insurance certificate. No insurance, no licence. "Transport operators who want to regularize their situation can do so very easily", insisted Mungwambe.
By 11.00, at least some chapas were running, but nowhere near the number one would expect to see on a working day on the streets of the capital.
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