Freight train traffic has been halted on the rail lines running into Maputo from South Africa and Swaziland until this Wednesday, to allow maintenance work to be carried out.

The works aim to reduce the rate of derailment occurring on those lines, which give neighbouring countries access to the Port of Maputo, as well as raising the speed limits along those lines, Notícias reported on Monday, citing a statement from Mozambique’s state-owned ports and railways company CFM.

Passenger trains will still be allowed to run from Maputo to Matola and to Ressano Garcia, on the South African border.

South Africa exports coal and iron chromium through the Port of Maputo. The Mozambican authorities have said they are aiming to move the majority of that traffic off the EN4 highway onto the railway.

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