Residents of Mulotana face the drama of the Matola River once again

The crossing over the Matola River, on the stretch between Mulotana and Malhapswene, has once again become a nightmare for the residents of the region. After the January floods that swallowed the bridge for two weeks and exposed the fragility of the emergency interventions—from "false engineering" to a tractor that fell into the river with civilians—the current rainy season, which began last week, has already reinstated chaos. Pedestrians are forced to wade through the water, while light vehicles prove powerless, requiring four-wheel drive vehicles or trucks for the crossing. The expectation generated by the pomp of the visit of the Governor of Matola, Manuel Simão Tule, is now giving way to apprehension: with the forecast of intense rains and discharges from dams in neighboring countries, the population fears being completely isolated as early as next Monday.

The small bridge over the Matola River, on the stretch connecting Mulotana to Malhapswene, is more than just a concrete structure; it's the main artery of a community. However, with each rainy season, it becomes the epicenter of a tragedy. Last January, the situation reached its most critical point. The floods not only submerged the bridge for fifteen days, but also highlighted the ineffectiveness of the temporary solutions.

At the time, as the water rose, desperate attempts at "fake engineering" were made on the submerged structure, all unsuccessful. Later, the local government allocated a tractor to assist in the crossing of civilians. The measure, however, was short-lived and ended in tragedy: the tractor ended up falling into the river, endangering the lives of those it was transporting.

Now, with the new rainy season that began last week, the feeling of helplessness returns with the same force. There are already reports of extreme difficulties in crossing the river.

On one side, pedestrians are forced to get wet, risking their safety by entering the current. On the other, drivers of light vehicles find themselves powerless, forced to reverse, since only all-terrain vehicles (4x4s) or trucks can cope with the flow.

This return to the past is even more frustrating for the community when we recall the visit of the Governor of Matola, Manuel Simão Tule. At the time, the pomp and promises of the official delegation generated enormous expectations among the residents of Mulotana, who believed that the end of their ordeal was near. Reality, however, shows that the solution was nothing more than empty talk.

The outcome of this new chapter, however, could be even more dramatic. According to residents, if the rainfall continues at this rate or if there are nighttime discharges from dams in neighboring countries, the bridge will once again be submerged. In that case, tomorrow, Monday, the population of Mulotana and the surrounding area will hardly be able to cross the Matola River, once again becoming hostage to the flood and the lack of a definitive solution.