TRAC AND REVIMO - The Last Stronghold of the People vs Frelimo Split

The drama of paying to drive on poor roads

It is no secret that Mozambique is experiencing atypical social instability, especially when it is tried to justify it as one of the effects of the last elections. Among the various fronts of combat raised by citizens, the search for electoral truth stands out, which ended up exposing the visceral bitterness that citizens patiently ruminated and muted. The popular reaction against the Mozambican State, more than taking the less attentive by surprise, has polarized the socio-political reality of Mozambique in an antagonistic way, forcing it to restructure its stance and that of its agents. For example, traffic and municipal police officers are required to act in a more didactic, honest and free from the "xitiques" that are fed by predatory practices of extortion on the roads, in an unbridled and shameless manner.

However, our strong yellow card this week goes to two concessionaires that manage the main toll roads in Mozambique, TRAC and REVIMO, whose actions have been severely questioned due to the unbridled way in which they take money from citizens. For increasingly attentive citizens, the state needed to be guided by the transparency and humanization of these services. And it is tragicomic, to say the least, that a state aware of the precariousness of the salaries it pays its employees would choose to charge high prices for basic services, leaving them in despair at not being able to survive on what is left after returning part of what they received back to the same person who paid them. This scenario opened the way for legitimate questions, leading to shocking revelations about top-secret dossiers involving senior officials of the ruling party. Regardless of political affiliations, citizens began to refuse to pay tolls, and for obvious and apparently non-negotiable reasons.

It is inconceivable that toll roads are not part of a road network that is in good condition for traffic. Secondary roads are in a chaotic state, making every journey a real nightmare. Drivers face extreme hardships just to travel a few metres on main roads, and, as if that were not enough, they are also forced to pay tolls at high prices that are completely out of touch with the reality of the minimum wage in force in the country.

Tolls in International Perspective

By way of comparison, in several countries where tolls exist, the charge is justified by high-quality services and expressways that guarantee safety, speed and comfort to users. In South Africa, for example, tolled motorways managed by the same TRAC that manages the Mozambican counterpart, offer enviable conditions, including high-quality pavement, assistance and rescue stations, and constant monitoring to prevent accidents and minimize disruptions. The same is true in several other countries, where concessioned roads have multiple lanes, well-structured rest areas, safe access and efficient management of traffic conditions.

In these countries, toll payments are proportionally aligned with the level of service provided, with the amounts calculated based on the distance travelled and the vehicle category. In addition, there are viable alternatives for those who do not wish to use these roads, with secondary roads that, although less fast, are perfectly passable and safe. In addition, exemption programmes for local residents or discounts for commercial vehicles are applied, ensuring a certain social fairness in the charging process.

In contrast, the reality in Mozambique reveals a scenario of inequality. The toll roads managed by TRAC and REVIMO do not generally offer the same quality as in international examples. Citizens often have to pay to travel short distances on roads full of potholes, with poor signage and no assistance in emergencies. Alternative roads are practically impassable, which forces many drivers to opt for the main road, even if it means a high and unjustified expense. The lack of a regular maintenance plan and independent monitoring further aggravates the situation, putting at risk not only the vehicles, but also the lives of those who travel on these roads every day.

Social Sensitivity and Suspension of Charges

The aim of this editorial is not to exhaust the debate on tolls, but to issue a yellow card to the concessionaires TRAC and REVIMO, who, despite being aware of the social divisions surrounding this issue, insist on charging toll fees when popular demands are still being made, in some cases, in a coercive manner, which seems to demonstrate a lack of sensitivity towards citizens. We understand that it would be sensible for these charges to be suspended until an agreement is reached that balances the interests of the concessionaires and the financial capacity of citizens.

A temporary suspension of charges, accompanied by a broad national debate on the quality of infrastructure and the destination of the amounts collected, would be an important step towards restoring public confidence and creating a solution that is fair and sustainable for all involved.