Maxaquene

Originally referring to the area around the Ponta Vermelha promontory, after independence Maxaquene came to denote the area at the end of Avenida Kenneth Kaunda in the northern part of the city towards the airport. It is a fairly poor area, with small, one- and two-storey buildings with flat roofs, and few tarmac roads. However, the South African-owned Shoprite, the largest supermarket in town, is a magnet for expats; located at the airport end of Avenida Joaquim Chissano, the store stocks local and imported goods although prices for the latter are high, roughly corresponding to those in a middle-sized European capital. Opposite Shoprite is the Corrida in Praa de Toros, the setting for a scene in Sydney Pollacks 2005 film The Interpreter, and now in disuse. The area is largely inhabited by immigrants from other parts of the country who have found employment in Maputo as domestic workers, street sellers or skilled labourers and can afford the cost of living in the Cidade cimento.