Daniel Chapo, governor of Inhambane province in southern Mozambique, says he has lost confidence in the multinational Sasol. The company, which has been exploring natural gas in Inhambane province since 2004, has not fulfilled social responsibility commitments it has made since it started operations in the region 14 years ago.

Chapo says Sasol promised to build various pieces of infrastructure. In 2017, the South African company assured the provincial government that it would rehabilitate the pier bridge at Maxixe but did not do so. “We’ve lost a lot of confidence, we’ve had a lot of promises that have cost us a lot in lost time. They keep saying they’re going to support us, and we’re still waiting,” Chapo says.

In 2016, Sasol also promised President Filipe Nyusi, on a visit to the region, that it would build a professional centre in Inhambane, but so far nothing happened.

The multinational has built a health centre in Inhassoro, but according to district resident Angélica Jorge, it doesn’t have the right facilities. She asks the company: “Improve the hospital, put in a middle level school, at least because it is now a sacrifice,” she says. Those who finish primary school must go to other cities to complete their studies.

Américo Raimundo, who lives in Mabote, would like the access roads in the regions where the South African company carries out its activities to be improved. “At least get that road from Inhassoro to Vilankulo and Mapinhane to Mabote, because Sasol uses it,” he claims.

The IMF

In 2017, the Mozambican Public Integrity Centre (CIP) revealed that Sasol did not pay the US$50 million (equivalent to around 40.6 million Euros) in annual average revenues forecast by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for its first ten years of operation in the country.

Inocência Mapisse, a researcher with the nongovernmental organisation, points out the lack of transparency in the contracts made by Sasol. “Every year it has to submit a report that shows the actions that were implemented during the year. Sasol only contributed 15 percent of the total in tax matters, which is about two billion dollars,” she explains.

DW Africa tried unsuccessfully to contact Sasol. Source: DW Africa