Watch: Police told not to harass motorists

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Watch: Police told not to harass motorists

5:14 CAT | 14 Dec 2018

Photo: O País

The general commander of the Mozambican police, Bernadino Rafael, on Thursday ordered all police units in the country to avoid “unnecessary inspections” of vehicles during the festive season.

Speaking at Ressano Garcia, on the border with South Africa, at the launch of the Christmas and New Year police operations, codenamed “Operation Bwerane”, Rafael stressed that the police should only stop vehicles in cases of extreme need.

The Mozambican police have frequently been accused of a predatory attitude towards motorists, and particularly to foreign tourists. Rafael wanted to put an end to this, and to ensure that Mozambicans and foreigners alike reach their destinations as quickly as possible.

The purpose of police operations at this time of year, he stressed, is to guarantee public order and safety at the borders and on the roads. Motorists should not be pulled over and interrogated without good reason, he said.

“We have to behave flexibly, so that tourists reach their destinations without being stopped fifty times”, he said. “You can only stop tourists, or Mozambicans, who are travelling to the various parts of our country, in cases of extreme necessity. They have a right to freedom of movement”.

The traffic police, he warned, should only stop motorists who are breaking the speed limit, or where they have reason to think they have been drinking alcohol.

There must be no intimidation of travellers, he insisted, particularly of Mozambican miners returning from their jobs in South Africa to spend the holidays with their families. He urged all police agents to avoid acts of corruption, and invited citizens to denounce corrupt police behaviour to the authorities.

“This operation can only be successful when we work professionally, and with courtesy and respect”, Rafael said.
In addition to the police, Operation Bwerane involves the National Immigration Service (SENAMI), the General Customs Directorate (DGA), and the National Land Transport Institute (INATER).

As usual at this time of year, the Ressano Garcia border post will be open 24 hours a day, from Friday through to 11 January.

At Ponta do Ouro, on the border with the South African province of Kwazalu-Natal, opening hours will be from 07.00 to 18.00 (normally this post is open from 08.00 to 17.00). The main border posts with Malawi, at Zobue and Calomue, will also extend their opening period by an hour.

The authorities are expecting around 804,000 people to cross the borders during this festive season, which would be considerably more than the 730,828 recorded in the same period in 2017/18.