Maputo-Katembe: ‘Demand’ forces concessionaire to warn that new bridge is not ready yet

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Maputo-Katembe: ‘Demand’ forces concessionaire to warn that new bridge is not ready yet

2:15 CAT | 05 Oct 2018

The concessionaire of the new bridge over Maputo Bay receives numerous requests to open the crossing, to the point that it has today published an announcement explaining that the work is not yet finished.

“Faced with recurring individual and collective requests for use of the Maputo-Katembe bridge, the Maputo South Development Company announces that the infrastructure has not yet been delivered by the contractor,” the announcement in the daily newspaper Notícias reads.

The subject is the largest suspension bridge in Africa, built by China, and although it is already built, with heavy vehicles circulating frequently on the roadway, the work is reportedly not finished yet.

“There are ongoing finishing works, tests on the main structure,” and the installation of signage and other equipment, the concessionaire says.

The Maputo South company adds that the bridge “is not yet insured for general use, only for workers and technicians in service”, another reason why it still cannot be used by the public – although the company acknowledges the difficulties involved in crossing the bay.

The connection by boat takes 10 minutes, but there is only one vehicle ferry, and that si in a run-down state (Lusa reports). Some of the passenger vessels are also in poor condition.

Last month, the jetty was the subject of emergency works due to its state of disrepair, leading to the suspension of crossings, which have only resumed today. For vehicles, the alternative was a two-hour drive round the bay, while foot passengers were forced to resort to smaller vessels using a precarious dock in the fishing harbour.

Construction of the Maputo-Katembe bridge started in 2014. It is three kilometres long, the largest suspension bridge in Africa and the 53rd-largest in the world, according to the concessionaire.

The foundations of the two main towers of the bridge go down 100 metres, and the height of the deck allow vessels up to 60 metres high to access the Port of Maputo.

The bridge and about 200 kilometres of access roads (including five other smaller bridges) between Maputo and Ponta do Ouro cost US$785 million, and were financed by a loan from China. The project is supposed to be delivered in ‘turn-key mode’, that is, ready to operate on hand-over.

The Mozambican government has announced that it will start paying off the construction debt in 2019.

Source: Lusa