Maputo Corridor
Encyclopedia
The Maputo Corridor is a major trade corridor which connects the Gauteng
, Limpopo
, and Mpumalanga
provinces of South Africa
with Maputo
, which is a port and the capital of Mozambique
.
The corridor comprises roads - including the new N4 highway - and railways, ports, and border facilities at Komatipoort
. which connect the industrial areas around Gauteng, and mines and agricultural districts to the east, with ports on the Mozambique coast. Maputo
and Matola
are both deepwater ports.
Transport organisations and border control agencies are cooperating to improve transport and lower barriers to trade.
Gauteng
Gauteng is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. It was formed from part of the old Transvaal Province after South Africa's first all-race elections on 27 April 1994...
, Limpopo
Limpopo
Limpopo is the northernmost province of South Africa. The capital is Polokwane, formerly named Pietersburg. The province was formed from the northern region of Transvaal Province in 1994, and initially named Northern Transvaal...
, and Mpumalanga
Mpumalanga
Mpumalanga , is a province of South Africa. The name means east or literally "the place where the sun rises" in Swazi, Xhosa, Ndebele and Zulu. Mpumalanga lies in eastern South Africa, north of KwaZulu-Natal and bordering Swaziland and Mozambique. It constitutes 6.5% of South Africa's land area...
provinces of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
with Maputo
Maputo
Maputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its...
, which is a port and the capital of Mozambique
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
.
The corridor comprises roads - including the new N4 highway - and railways, ports, and border facilities at Komatipoort
Komatipoort
Komatipoort is a town situated at the confluence of the Crocodile and Komati Rivers in Mpumalanga province, South Africa. The town is 8km from the Crocodile Bridge Gate into the Kruger Park, and just 5km from the Mozambique border and 65km from the Swazi border. It is a small, quiet town with some...
. which connect the industrial areas around Gauteng, and mines and agricultural districts to the east, with ports on the Mozambique coast. Maputo
Maputo
Maputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its...
and Matola
Matola
Matola is a city in southern Mozambique, which lies 12 kilometers to the west of the country's capital, Maputo. Matola is the capital of Maputo Province and has had its own elected municipal government since 1998. It has a port and also the biggest industrial area in Mozambique...
are both deepwater ports.
Transport organisations and border control agencies are cooperating to improve transport and lower barriers to trade.
History
The corridor was first planned in 1994, as a rehabilitation project for disused transport links. Since then, the project has broadened, new parties have become involved, and over $5 billion invested.Participants
- Caminhos de ferro do MoçambiqueMozambique Ports and RailwaysPortos e Caminhos de Ferro de Moçambique is the parastatal authority that oversees the railway system of Mozambique and its connected ports. The rail system is composed of a total of 2,983 km rail of the gauge that is compatible with neighboring rail systems...
- The government of SwazilandSwazilandSwaziland, officially the Kingdom of Swaziland , and sometimes called Ngwane or Swatini, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered to the north, south and west by South Africa, and to the east by Mozambique...
has also joined the project. - Transnet Freight Rail is a stakeholder, but has been criticised by other stakeholders and is reluctant to invest in the project.