MOZAMBIQUE 1988 TO 1990.
This was my second visit since I was last there between 1986 and 1988 because most of the equipment installed in Maputo, Beira and Tete Airport became faulty because mainly the local technicians even after the training given did not have the experience to maintain them and would often make the fault worse by silly mistakes. Looking at it one way it would keep people like me employed ie a job for the boys.Once again this was an Aid Project funded by the British Government. I was given an office in Maputo and then visited Beira and Tete which had always been my favourite town where a few people still remembered me and the VOR site was still known as Mr Mikes field. I then made a list for the procurement of spares to bring the equipment back into operation. In addition new Transmitting and Receiving equipment was to be installed.The situation since my last visit had in no way improved but at least the Russians had be kicked out. The conflict between Renamo a resistance group backed by Rhodesia and Frelimo (Front for liberation of Mozabique)started in 1971 was still going on but ended the month after I left in November 1990.Most of my friends I made before had gone but I was lucky to meet Peter and his wife both British. He was manager of Scania a Swedish company and had an empty 12th floor unfurnished flat to rent. This was soon furnished and I moved in. Its a small world but it often happened to me. After a short time in the flat the bell rang and to my surprise it was Mareka a lovely person whom I had known so well before in Mozambique asking for help to move some furniture. She was still working for South African Airways. We had previously looked after her beautiful house. Apparently her husband Clive had left her and gone off with his secretary. What a rotten man considering all she had done for him.
I had another big surprise when I was in the Civil Aviation Headquarters I met my best friend Mohammed from Tete. It was so nice to see him again and talk about the old days. He was now a Director of Engineering. This time I couldn’t drive to South Africa it would have been suicide with both Renamo And Frelimo shooting each other and putting down mines especially on the roads. Once again there was hardly anything in the shops to eat and as did most Expats (mind you there weren’t many) I would fly in a small 6 seat aircraft to Nelspruit in SA for food. IAL paid the air fare for this every month. There was normally only one pilot and the aircraft instruments were rarely used except in heavy rain. He would fly low and follow the railway line all the way. I can remember we would often drop off a passenger en route on just a grass strip .On one occasion I was flying up with Peters wife and she brought back from a friend some small fish for her tank in a plastic bag. I remember this so well because it was not until we got to there we found it was a public holiday and the main supermarket the OK bazaar was closed. We hunted around small shops and managed to get most of our groceries and were very lucky to find a butcher open and put our meat in freeze bags. After that episode I bought a SA calendar. When you returned and started unpacking your goods the local people were always there and one felt sorry for them because little food was available locally. Normally I would make 2 trips up in the lift but often it was not working or had broken down. Climbing up 12 floors with lots of shopping was very hard going. As on my last visit the 12th floor was ideal for TV reception. I brought out the necessary equipment and spent many relaxing evenings watching the box. There were the usual power cuts and because frozen food was so necessary I installed a 4KV generator. It was a great feeling in the evenings watching the box whilst others were in the dark.