The line is the main route for South African exporters using Maputo port. However, the derailment of a freight train on 19 February seriously damaged a bridge and since then the port has not received any trains carrying coal or magnetite, leading to heavy financial losses.
The newspaper cites Joao Mabota, the director of engineering at the publicly owned ports and rail company CFM, as saying that repairs to the bridge were completed a week ago and since then test runs have been carried out along the line.
As a result of the line closure there has been an enormous increase in the number of trucks driving along the EN4 highway from South Africa to Maputo. This has led at times to gridlock as lorries queue to get into the port.
At its worst the traffic congestion stretches all the way from the port entrance to the Maputo toll plaza on the EN4. In some cases it has taken nearly two hours to make the 15 kilometre journey between the cities of Matola and Maputo.
Post published in: Africa News