Maputo — The Mozambican Minister of Public Works, Carlos Mesquita, launched on Monday work on the rehabilitation and widening of Section 17 of the motorway from Maputo to South Africa (National Highway Number 4 - EN4).
The work is budgeted at 1.7 billion meticais (about 27 million dollars at the current exchange rate). It will be carried out over 12 months, covering the ten kilometre stretch of road between the Novare and Tchumene junctions in Matola municipality.
"This is, unequivocally, a demonstration of the transparency of the management of our resources and confirmation of our declarations that the revenues from the use of roads should also be used for the construction, maintenance, and expansion of the roads", said Mesquita. "The investment is the result of funds from the operation of the road."
For EN4 is a toll road, built and operated by the South African company, Trans-Africa Concessions (TRAC). There are two tollgates on the Mozambican section of the road, one at its starting point in Maputo, and one at Moamba, about 60 kilometres north of the capital.
The road's main economic rationale is that it connects the port of Maputo to the industrial zone of Witbank in South Africa. The government's partnership with TRAC. Mesquita said, "demonstrates that a well-structured cooperation results in the quality and good functioning of the roads".
"That is why the Ministry of Public Works will continue to boost this process of farming out roads to management by private companies", he added. "We want to continue to encourage the private sector to bet on this type of partnership that results, without a doubt, in mutual advantages and contributes to the improvement of the country's road network."
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The minister also expressed his deep indignation at the vandalization of traffic signs.
"Therefore, we ask for the support of the population to combat this evil", said Mesquita. "The signs serve to warn drivers about the conditions of the road and, therefore, their removal or vandalization can have catastrophic effects."
The Secretary of State for Maputo province, Vitória Diogo, expressed her satisfaction with the start of the work that will improve traffic flow along the road.
"The government is aware of the great congestion that occurs every day because, besides being used by private vehicles, the EN4 is a corridor for the flow of various types of cargo, including minerals", she said.
Diogo also expressed her concern about the circulation of large trucks without the observance of load limits, which contributes to the rapid degradation of the road.
She was also concerned at the degradation of National Highway Number Two (EN2), which connects Matola with Eswatini.
