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Smuggling, 1981-1994:
Candonga and Informal Cross-Border Trade
Dossier MZ-0747
‘Smuggling’ in one political context is vibrant cross-border trade from a different political point of view. During the period from independence until the later part of the 1980s, smuggling – carrying goods across the border for subsequent re-sale – was regarded by Frelimo as morally equivalent to, and in fact as a form of candonga, and carried harsh criminal penalties. There are indications that Renamo used smuggling as a revenue source in certain periods. The news reports listed below should be consulted together with those listed in other, related dossiers, such as for Candonga, Punishment, the Justice System, and so on.
Please note that articles on gun-running and the arms trade will be made available in a separate dossier.
For an academic study of informal cross-border trade in the 1990s, see Sally Ann Peberdy, ‘Border crossings: small entrepreneurs and cross-border trade between South Africa and Mozambique,’ Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie vol.91 no.4 (2000), p.361-378. Available here [requires subscription].
◊ 3 August 1981
Zonas fronteiriças vão ter lojas fixas. Notícias [Maputo], 3 August 1981. Permanent shops are to be established in border areas to discourage candonga and smuggling. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 162 kb.
◊ 4 December 1982
Leandro Paul. Após um ano de investigação oficial, desmantelada rede internacional de contrabando: Gulamo Naby, cabecilha, vai a TMR; negócio lucrava milhões e contas em bancos estrangeiros. Notícias [Maputo], 4 December 1982, p.2. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 213 kb.
◊ 15 June 1983
Combate à especulação escandalosa: interdita doação ou alienação de veículos importados, medida abrange viaturas isentas de direitos. Notícias [Maputo], 15 June 1983. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 134 kb.
◊ 15 December 1983
Novas disposições para importação e alienação de carros. Notícias [Maputo], 15 December 1983. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 104 kb.
◊ 16 December 1983
Novas disposições para importações e alienação de carros por missões diplomáticas: decreto no. 3/83 do Conselho de Ministros. Notícias [Maputo], 16 December 1983. Text of the decree. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 162 kb.
◊ 15 February 1986
FPLM capturam três contrabandistas. Notícias [Maputo], 15 February 1986. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 38 kb.
◊ 10 December 1986
Detenções por prática de comércio externo não autorizado. Notícias [Maputo], 10 December 1986. South African companies such as Angloport had been supplying foodstuffs and other goods to Maputo residents by air, without following any formalities. SNASP eventually acted to close the loophole. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 60 kb.
◊ 12 December 1986
Arrests in Mozambique for illegal trade deals. Summary of World Broadcasts [London], 12 December 1986. A report from a Lisbon radio station on 10 December 1986. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 18 kb.
◊ 13 December 1986
B. Maninguane. Namaacha: comércio fronteiriço necessita de normas, rede comercial distrital não responde à procura. Notícias [Maputo], 13 December 1986. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 309 kb.
◊ 9 October 1987
Caso dos 34 na Beira: sentença será lida a 19 de Outubro. Notícias [Maputo], 9 October 1987. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 68 kb.
◊ 22 October 1987
Caso dos 34 na Beira: pronunciadas sentenças contra 25 contrabandistas: nove reús absolvidos por insuficiência de provas. Notícias [Maputo], 22 October 1987. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 100 kb.
◊ July 1988
The underworld of illegal imports. AIM Information Bulletin [Maputo], July 1988. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 76 kb.
◊ 23 July 1988
Filimão Saveca. Marfim, pedras preciosas e pau-preto: bandidos promovem contrabando para RAS, denunciam amnistiados que dizem ter pertencido a um grupo de elite. Notícias [Maputo], 23 July 1988. Article claims that South African aircraft were supplying arms and ammunition to Renamo and taking back ivory, ebony and precious stones on the return trip. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 243 kb.
◊ 27 May 1989
Augusto Hélio. Importadores ilegais alimentam Maputo. Notícias [Maputo], 27 May 1989. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 151 kb.
◊ 1 July 1989
Daniel Cuambe. Anunciadas medidas de controlo aduaneiro: comerciantes convidados a colaborar sob o risco de graves sanções. Notícias [Maputo], 1 July 1989. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 148 kb.
◊ 22 September 1991
[Untitled news item on the frontier post at Namaacha]. Domingo [Maputo], 22 September 1991, p.8. Note that this item was originally printed in white-on-black. For legibility, MHN has reversed this during scanning. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 71 kb.
◊ 22 September 1991
Orlando Muchanga. Reino de contrabando. Domingo [Maputo], 22 September 1991. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 539 kb.
◊ 11 March 1992
Bandits resort to smuggling food and drugs. Herald [Harare], 11 March 1992. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 76 kb.
◊ 11 March 1992
MNR resort to smuggling food, drugs. Chronicle [Bulawayo], 11 March 1992. Click here to view or download a PDF, size 69 kb.