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SA travellers cautious as xenophobia bleeds across Mozambique borders

Cape Town - A South African group of family and friends set to travel into Mozambique over the upcoming long weekend are contemplating cancelling their trip at the last minute after a German friend working in Mozambique advised them not to drive into the neighbouring country at this stage. 

Nicholas Walker, along with his girlfriend, Nikita Fourie and his brother, Stephen, would have left South Africa on Saturday, 25 April, driving from SA into Moamba, Mozambique and on then to Tofo Beach where they would've stayed. 

His parents have booked flights into Mozambique, and are still going forward with their travel plans at this stage.

Their German friend based in Mozambique, Nina Vorderwuelbecke, sent the family an email saying, "Several companies have started evacuating their employees out of Mozambique. For the moment, we remain, fenced in our camp with increased security. But all is packed ready to fly out - possibly to Mtwara or Tanzania." 

PICS: Top hotels and resorts in Africa

Vorderwuelbecke works as a helicopter pilot for an American based company in Mozambique and warned the family that they should not attempt to cross the South African - Mozambican border, especially if they will be travelling in a ZAR registered vehicle. 

Nicholas told Traveller24 that "it seems to be the safer option flying into Mozambique as my parents will do. They will only stay in one place and won't travel while they're in Tofo.

"We're worried, however, as we will be driving through all the conflict areas with our South African number plate, and we don't think the bad sentiment would disappear in a short week," he said. 

Areas with reported incidents include Ressano Garcia,  Muamba, Lebombo on the Mozambique side as well as Komatipoort and Mbombela in South Africa.


While no official travel advisory has been issued for Mozambique, Traveller24 contacted a few tour operators to confirm if more South African travellers have been spooked by the Xenophobic violence. 

Cathryn McEwan, a branch manager of Flight Centre said, "There are a few travellers worried about the situation, and some have cancelled their plans. Flight Centre, however, received no official response from their contacts in Mozambique yet.”

A spokesperson for Anantara properties, based in Mozambique confirmed the resort had not received any cancellations as such but since most of its guests fly in and out, they echoed the sentiment that it seems safer to fly into Mozambique at this stage.

READ: Island Bliss at Anantara Bazaruto 

Nicholas Walker said, "I don't think the negative sentiment towards South Africans would change much in the next few days before we wanted to leave". 

The Walker brothers would have left Mozambique again the following Saturday, 2 May, but are now planning a weekend away in SA for the time they took off work rather. 

News24 on Monday reported of Mozambican retaliation to the ongoing South African xenophobic violence.

See: South Africans chased out of Mozambique

A truck driver John Mashiloane, who works for Ngululu Carriers told a News24 correspondent that he was forced to return to South Africa after the truck he was driving was stoned a short distance from the border town of Ressano Garcia. He was forced to leave his truck grounded in Mozambique. 

"I’m back in South Africa," he said, but "we have parked our trucks in Komatipoort. When we went into Mozambique in the morning, we saw that traffic was clear and thought it was fine, but just 4km into Mozambique near the Muamba Toll Gate, we found a mob of about 300 people in bakkies who started pelting our trucks with stones and telling us that we are killing their brothers and sisters so we deserve to die too," said Mashiloane.

However on Monday Maputo Logistics Corridor Initiative (MCLI) Barbara Mommen said the situation returned to normal later in the afternoon and to date no further reports of any protest action or delays at the border post have been reported.

"After reports that the border post between South Africa and Mozambique had been temporarily closed last week Friday, as South African citizens were prevented entry in Mozambique due to violent protest action, after angry Mozambique citizens barricaded the EN4 approximately 4km after the Ressano Garcia border post. The situation is back to normal," said Mommen

Last week, the world-renowned explorer, philanthropist and all round colourful character, Kingsley Holgate, expressed his shame over the spate of xenophobic attacks that broke out across South Africa earlier this week. 

Mommen also said border gates will be open 24 hours a day from April 24 to April 27 ahead of the Freedom Day long weekend.


See: "You are safe here... welcome to Ethiopia" - SA explorer expresses shame over xenophobia

In a post on their Facebook page, the Kingsley Holgate Foundation said that on their many humanitarian and geographic expeditions into Africa, they had received 'much in the way of kindness and hospitality' in neighbouring countries. 

"The continued senseless killing, violence and lawless looting of the last few days makes us ashamed and on behalf of the vast majority of peace loving South Africans, I'd like to send condolences to those who have lost loved ones and to say 'Ndikupepesa' - we are TRULY SORRY!!" the post read.

Making the message even more personal, the post was accompanied by a photograph of Holgate and a man named, Mohammed Moyale, a money changer who had recently helped them cross the border into Ethiopia.
 

Are your travel plans - in and out of South Africa - affected by Xenophobia? Please share your photos and travel experiences with us at info@traveller24.com or post them on our FacebookTwitter or Instagram accounts - you could be featured on News24. 

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