Maputo, Mozambique, 8 Aug – The Mozambican government is considering granting a concession to operate a 200-kilometer stretch of National Highway 1, running from the capital to Xai-Xai, to a consortium of firms from Mozambique and South Africa, media have reported.

The Noticias newspaper said Tuesday that the basic outlines of the highway concession have been approved by the Maputo government and detailed negotiations are now in progress with Trans African Concessions (TRAC).

The head of Mozambique’s ANE national highways agency, Ibrahimo Remane, told Noticias that the Maputo government wants to give as many stretches of road to private operators as possible in order to divert maintenance funds to rural development projects.

Remane added that negotiations are also taking place with TRAC on the building of a second lane on the Avenida Joaquim Chissano, commonly known as the “Machava Freeway.”

Trans African Concessions is a consortium of firms from South Africa and Mozambique, including Basil Read, Stocks and Stocks, HSBC Investment Bank, Letabe Consultants, Msele Corporate and Merchant Bank, Investec, Equator Bank and Mozambique Gestores.

In 2005, TRAC won a 3.5 billion rand contract to build and operate a highway between Witbank and Maputo. (macauhub).