Poor road links add challenge to Moma Sands project

INVESTMENT IN certain parts of Mozambique
has come before the rehabilitation of road links.
One of these is the giant Moma S ands project
in the central Nampula province. Moma is being
developed by London-listed Kenmare Resources..
According to the company, the operation is
set to be the world’s third-largest, single-mine
titanium-dioxide producer when it ramps up to
full production towards the end of the year.
Kenmare is also set to become the fifth-largest
global titanium-dioxide feedstock producer after
Rio Tinto, Iluka, BHP Billiton (through its 50%
ownership of Richards Bay Minerals) and Exxaro
Resources.
Exports are being handled by barge through
the “port” of Moma, which consists of little more
than a jetty on the beach.
And it is here that the challenges started for
Karel Meyer of Caravel LDA Mozambique.
Moma is an eight to 12-hour ride over
extremely poor roads from the city of Nampula.
The only alternative is to fly in.
Then there was the problem of offices – there
are none to be had. This was solved by kitting out a container. Getting the container itself to the site is another story.
While the office is only manned when
necessary at present, there are plans to make it a full-time operation.
The company is already training up
Mozambicans to take over the running of the
operations – and other offices in the country.
“Everyone has a role to play. As a S outh African,
I can go to South Africa and fetch the business
because I understand the S outh African culture.
“But, here, we need Mozambicans who
understand the local culture,” he says.