In a foreign country with a foreign language and unknown rules and laws, it is important to have someone you can call upon and depend on.
In 2013 Dirk Fourie, a South African from Centurion, in the spur of the moment, came up with the idea to create a social-media community that can advise, warn, assist, and provide information to fellow travellers to Mozambique.
This led to the creation of DriveMoz. Its membership has grown beyond expectations and today has almost 40 000 members, with the count increasing daily.
Fellow members and administrators advise, guide, recommend, help and react to new and existing members’ needs and questions.
They get access to frequently updated information files via the website www.DriveMoz.co.za.
Here you will find dos and don’ts, border procedures, checklists, the traffic laws and fines, online third-party as well as legal and roadside assist insurance, a cellphone app walkie-talkie group for the Zello app, a list of female-friendly toilets, routes to avoid in Maputo and much more.
DriveMoz arranges “DriveMoz2gethers” for the members, even when everyone has different destinations. During peak periods, many DriveMozzers join DriveMoz2Gether to have the comfort of not travelling alone.
The group also has real-time assistance and communication on Zello Channels (a group now almost 7 000 members strong).
Zello is a free walkie-talkie application for smartphones, without a distance limit. Emergency channels monitor the DriveMoz channel and can respond with emergency requirements even dispatched from SA (break-down service, helicopter, emergency flights and so on).
Due to high roaming charges, buying a Mozambique sim card is recommended. The DriveMoz Shop (online) sells registered sim cards, T-Shirts, third-party insurance, airtime and so on.
Being a DriveMozzer means you are a happy and contributing visitor to Mozambique. Members advise, socialise with and assist one another.
Membership stickers with member numbers are available in more than 40 outlets, from Harare to Cape Town. These are recognised by the authorities and fellow members.
Members greet one another with a special hand gesture (the d of sign language) and three short honks. This shows their camaraderie, fellowship and belonging to the most successful Mozambique-related travel group.
DriveMoz has also donated some of the income collected from sticker sales, to a Mozambique charity, as well as to the Dineo Cyclone victims.
The group is successfully administrated by Fourie, Bjorn Goosen, Isabel Oberholzer and Sarah Miller
