A Clear Stretch in a Tough Terrain
Truck drivers crossing South Sudan seldom expect a smooth ride. Yet along the Maper-Yirol-Rumbek axis in Lakes State they find what many now call the country’s only stress-free corridor: no illicit fees, no random stops, only routine safety checks.
Hauliers attribute the difference to Governor Rin Tueny Mabor, whose administration openly enforces President Salva Kiir’s 2021 order abolishing illegal checkpoints. Drivers say patrols in Lakes State focus on security rather than revenue extraction.
Toll after Toll on Other Routes
The contrast emerges starkly once lorries leave Lakes. On the Juba–Bahr el Ghazal road, drivers recount fifteen pay points inside Central Equatoria alone, each demanding between SSP 650,000 and 950,000 in cash, without receipts or formal inspection.
Further north in Warrap, fees range from SSP 400,000 to 500,000 per barricade. Ahmed, a Bentiu-based transporter, says he surrendered almost seven million pounds on one run to Juba, ‘and not a single official record exists of the money’.
Leadership, Law and Implementation
Mabor frequently cites Kiir’s decree during security briefings, observers note, and dismisses officers who ignore it. Civil society groups argue that such visible accountability is the missing link in neighbouring states where local commanders still monetise roadblocks.
Drivers Call for Countrywide Consistency
Frustrated hauliers question why a national instruction produces provincial results. ‘If Lakes can comply, so can everyone,’ remarks driver Mabil outside a Juba warehouse. Trade bodies propose joint monitoring teams drawn from police, army and transport unions to standardise enforcement.
Economic Stakes on a Fragile Market
Analysts warn that unchecked road levies inflate commodity prices, slow humanitarian convoys and deter regional investors. Removing informal tolls, they contend, could cut delivery costs by double digits and accelerate the government’s infrastructure ambitions.
Outlook for the Dry Season Haul
With the drier months ahead, axle weight rises and traffic surges on the Juba-Nimule and Wau-Aweil arteries. Drivers hope the Lakes State template will influence new joint patrols announced by the interior ministry, turning promises of reform into everyday reality.