Maputo — Protestors angry at the rising prices of water, electricity, bread and other consumer goods on Wednesday morning attacked the food distribution warehouse "Sasseka" and an office of the electricity company Electricidade de Mocambique (EDM) in the neighbourhood of Benfica, in the outskirts on Maputo.

The Benfica passenger terminal was the scene of an outbreak of violence, with the police responding with tear gas to disperse protestors who had burned tyres to obstruct the flow of traffic. The demonstrators threw stones at passing cars, although most cars stayed off the roads once the unrest erupted.

In the terminal Praça dos Combatentes, also known as Xikelene, the scenario was even more dramatic with the police firing incessantly to disperse the protestors, who had set fire to tyres. Great plumes of smoke covered the area.

There have been unconfirmed reports of some deaths and injuries.