A number of complaints have been received regarding the solicitation of bribes by officials along the Maputo Corridor.

The Maputo Corridor Logistics Initiative (MCLI) offers the following advice when approached for a bribe along this corridor.

“Always remain patient, calm, courteous and cooperative at all times, and be polite. You should insist on an official fine stating the offence and which has the stamp of the local authority, or is issued from an official fine book. Traffic officials in Mozambique do have the authority to withhold your drivers licence until the fine is paid. Our advice (and our experience) is to cooperate with the payment of the fine, but insist on an official receipt, before proceeding with your journey. In the event that you are stopped for speeding, you should insist on proof of your offence, which is frequently captured on camera and easy to corroborate. In the event that the fine appears to be for spurious reasons and is obviously to solicit a bribe, do not pay the bribe, but insist on an official fine which must be recorded in the official fine book and again insist on an official receipt before making payment. Should you feel that your safety is threatened in any way, do use your common sense and discretion. It is not unheard of that politely requesting an official receipt may possibly result in travellers being waved on their way.”

“There is an important factor in this equation which certain complainants overlook. If you pay a bribe, you are guilty of a crime. If you pay a bribe you are perpetuating an appetite for corruption and are fully party to it. It is extremely unlikely that you are “forced to pay a bribe”. Participating in bribery is a conscious decision, and a two way process, and the fewer people who make that decision, the less the uptake will be. Participating in corruption, no matter how innocuous it may seem, perpetuates a vicious cycle of intimidation and victimisation, undermines the principles of democracy, compromises economic development and freedom of access to economic growth, increases inequality, weakens the work ethic, creates apathy and a lack of accountability, and in the final eventuality, robs society of a sound social framework and causes authority structures who should serve public interest, to crumble. This principle applies as much to traffic and other officials as it does to runners at the border post. DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN THIS PRACTICE!”

“Please note that there is no recourse without detail. Should you be approached for a bribe, please note the name of the official, the location, the time and the details of the uniform. Then report it to admin@mcli.co.za. We are able to pass this information on in a structured format and feed it into the relevant government and other structures to deal with it.”

Below are the relevant contact numbers in the event of an incident:

South Africa Anti-Corruption and Emergency Numbers:
CBRTA Vuvuzela Hotline 0800 000 594
Human Trafficking 0800 737 283
Mpumalanga Traffic Department 0800 202 775
National Intelligence Agency (NIA) 012 427 4903
Presidential Hotline 17737
Department of Home Affairs 0800 701 701
Department of Health and Social Services 0800 701 701
Department of Agriculture Forestry & Fisheries 0800 701 701
South Africa Revenue Service (CUSTOMS) 0800 002 870
South African High Commission in Maputo +258 21 49 0059/3030 or
+258 84 304 4600
South African Police Service (SAPS) 0860 010 111
TRAC Help Desk (N4 Only) 0800 872 264 or
(+27) 82 881 4444

Mozambique Anti-Corruption and Emergency Numbers:
Mozambique Customs Green Line 800 900 900
Mozambique High Commission in South Africa +258 21 49 0059/3030 or
+27 12 401 0300
Mozambique Police Green Line 82 965 7804 (Traffic Police)
84 800 22 22 or
800 22 22 22
TRAC Help Desk (EN4 Only) (+258) 84 343 4346 or
(+258) 82 303 4303
Vodacom Emergency Number 84 800 22 22