A pier for Inhaca: The dream begins today

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A pier for Inhaca: The dream begins today

2:46 CAT | 12 May 2023

Photo: O País

Construction of a pier in KaNyaka municipal district, Maputo city, begins this Friday (12-05).

The project was launched on Thursday by the Minister of Transport and Communications, Mateus Magala.

Inhaca islanders have yearned for this day since 2013, when use of the existing pier was banned due to the high state of degradation, making it impossible to visit and leave the island without getting wet.

This happens because, to reach the island or board the ferry for the mainland, you have to walk through the water, island resident Thembi Almina explained.

“Now I’m wet. I was fetching a package that had just arrived from central Maputo, and I had to wade into the water to get to the boat. I’m going to work from here, so I’m going to have to arrive and work like this… All wet! We are suffering and urgently need a pier,” the Inhaca resident said.

To alleviate the suffering of the population, work will start this Friday of the first of four phases in the construction of the pier, Minister of Transport and Communications Mateus Magala explained.

“The first stage refers to studies to understand the water, its depth and behaviour, and it will take a week. The second phase, which will begin shortly after the conclusion of the first, will look into the geographical characteristics of the land, the soils where the pier will be implanted, the quality and types of soils, which will determine its resistance.”

The second phase will take three months, after which it will be possible to move on to designing the pier. It is expected that this will in fact take place as the soil study is carried out, and will be concluded, validated and approved this year. The actual construction of the pier itself will be the fourth phase.

The minister did not advance a date by which the infrastructure will be completed, rather saying that, while demanding speed in the work, it was more important to have a resilient pier.

“Tomorrow (this Friday), the president of the Maritime Transport Institute (INTRASMAR) will begin work here. We don’t want to hear that a week doesn’t have seven, but 14 days. A week has seven days and this is the work we expect, and we ask the relevant councillor to be our eyes so that things go as we agreed,” the minister concluded.

Mayor of Maputo Eneas Comiche said that the construction of a pier on Inhaca will bring the island closer to the mainland and reduce the high cost of living.

“There will certainly be an increase in the movement of people and goods, and in tourist traffic from the mainland to this beautiful island, which is now part of Maputo National Park, raising the status of KaNyaka as a national and international tourist attraction,” the mayor said.

Maputo city councillor Roberto Chitsondzo agreed that the pier will be a plus for the tourism sector, but also for fishing, as fishermen will be better able sell seafood and shellfish. It will therefore improve trade in the fish market, which currently has not been very busy.

Source: O País