The suspension of work on the Chongoene Port Terminal in Gaza province is putting around 200 jobs at risk and jeopardising the export of more than 270,000 tonnes of minerals from the Chibuto heavy sands project. The information was provided by the Chongoene district administrator, Artur Macamo, in statements to the newspaper O País.
The impasse began on 10 January, when members of the Nhampfunwine community invaded the premises of the Dingsheng company and completely halted construction work on the port.
The protesters allege that the Chinese company has not fulfilled commitments made in a bilateral agreement, which provided for the supply of drinking water, electricity and a health centre for the population from 2023. The protest resulted in the expulsion of the company’s managers and the blocking of traffic in the project area, preventing work from continuing on one of the region’s most important infrastructures.
According to Artur Macamo, the work stoppage has already affected around 200 workers, who have no guarantees about the future of their jobs. The administrator explained that, despite the suspension, the workers received their full salaries last month, but the company is now negotiating the payment of only 50 per cent of their salaries.
To resolve the conflict, the local government met with the population and established a new agreement, which provides for the electrification of 50 per cent of the affected area. According to Macamo, work is already underway in three neighbourhoods and should start soon in the fourth. With regard to the population’s other demands, such as the construction of a health centre and the supply of drinking water, work is due to start in March this year.
Despite these measures, there is still no definite date for the harbour works to resume, since the continuity of the project depends on the population’s acceptance of the promises made. Macamo said that, at the moment, it is difficult to make a forecast, as the resumption of work is conditional on the fulfilment of the commitments made to guarantee basic services to the community. What is certain, according to him, is that the port terminal will not be completed this year, despite the fact that more than 90 per cent of the work has already been done.
While negotiations continue, the suspension of the port terminal prevents the export of more than 270,000 tonnes of heavy sands extracted from the Chibuto mining project. Dingsheng, the company responsible for the project, depends on the infrastructure to transport the minerals and the stoppage represents significant losses for the mining sector.
