The flow of cross-border traffic through South Africa’s Lebombo and Mozambique’s Ressano Garcia border posts has been back to normal since Saturday following a minor disruption the previous day.

Disgruntled Mozambican nationals had barricaded a national road next to the Ressano Garcia border post in reaction to the recent spate of xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

Groups of men‚ women and children arrived at the border post on Friday morning and blocked the road leading to Maputo‚ Mozambique’s capital‚ with rocks and allegedly pelted vehicles bearing South African number plates with rocks.

The protest action was aimed at barring South African nationals from entering Mozambique‚ but was short-lived after Mozambican police restored order with rubber bullets and teargas.

Lebombo and Ressano Garcia border posts are used by South Africans and Mozambicans to cross over into both countries daily.

Mozambicans living closer to the border posts usually cross to South Africa for shopping.

Elina Massiauane‚ who lives at the nearby 25 June village – the first residential area into Mozambique from South Africa – said the daily commuting into South Africa showed that Mozambicans view South Africa as their trusted neighbour.

This reputation has taken a huge knock following the recent wave of xenophobic attacks.

“Did you know that we supply some of your electricity? One day we will switch off the machines and you violent South Africans will live in the dark‚” Massiauane said.