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The Reconstruction

"First it was rescue; then it was supply. Now comes the reconstruction." Those were the words we used in the introduction to our article on the floods in Mozambique carried in our May edition. On a recent visit to Mozambique, FleetWatch editor Patrick O'Leary came face to face with the reality of the extent of the reconstruction needed to roads and bridges - and took the accompanying photographs to show that there's a long hard road ahead.

The bridges and the road leading into Xai Xai had no chance against the raging waters which swept over the plains during the floods earlier this year. The Isuzu KB 4x4 bakkies - donated by Delta Motor Corporation for use in Operation Rachel - took us through sections where others would not venture.

At the height of the floods, Mozambican president Joaquim Chissano told BBC television that after the flood waters receded, the country would still need international assistance to rebuild. "About $250-million is the minimum we need," he said.

It was hard to imagine at the time the extent of the damage simply because when the president projected the monetary assistance needed, the flood stricken areas were still under water. The human tragedy was visible but the infrastructural damage in the outlying areas was unqualified due to roads, bridges and towns being under water. It was only when the water started receding that the true extent of the problem became known. Today, that problem is there for all to see - and it's a big one.

In our last edition, we reported on Operation Rachel, a joint South African/Mozambican initiative aimed at destroying arms caches in Mozambique. As a guest of Delta Motor Corporation - which had donated 10 Isuzu 4x4 bakkies to the operation - FleetWatch was able to gain first-hand experience of the damage to the road and bridges around Xai Xai - the area worst hit by the floods. And we thank the SAPS Special Task Force for making its helicopter available for us to survey the damage from the air.

The road, which links Maputo and Beira, is in the main OK until you get close to Xai Xai. It then becomes a disaster. It's as if some prehistoric, monster-type tar-eater has made a meal of it by biting huge chunks from the side of the road. In some sections, the tar has been uplifted and swept far from the road to lie useless in the swamped plain alongside. As for the bridges, the accompanying pictures tell the story.

Despite the hardships of the recent past and the enormous reconstruction task that lies ahead, locals are getting on with their lives trying to make a buck by plying their various trades selling the most basic of commodities such as mopani worms, stomach muti, roasted cashew nuts and naartjies. And where there's water, you'll always find kids playing happily. These children have forgotten the terror that accompanied the water they are now playing when thousands of men, women and children were rescued from certain death by the "angels of mercy" with their helicopters. The terror may be over but the work has just begun.

The road runs for miles across a flat plain and crosses the Limpopo just before entering Xai Xai. This mighty river normally runs past this town towards the sea within the confines of its banks but when the torrential rains poured down, it spilled over and spread some 35kms totally swamping roads, bridges, houses and everything else in its way. The pictures tell the story of the damage it did.

Now that the human drama is over, many people have forgotten about Mozambique. However, trucks needs roads and bridges over which to travel - and every country needs trucks to grow. FleetWatch therefore feels it is important to take its readers back into Mozambique via this photo-feature to remind all that while the floods may be over, Mozambique needs all the help it can get to get it back onto its feet.

As we have said: "now comes the reconstruction" and that is going to take lots of time and lots of money. Until it is done, however, the trucks will be unable to run freely and without trucks, the economy - and therefore the people of Mozambique - will be unable to grow and prosper. Let the reconstruction begin so the trucks can roll.