The Chinese contractor repairing the main highway in the south of Mozambique should finish the job by May, Jornal Notícias reports.

The Mozambican newspaper quotes the official in charge of the work, Raimundo Nhabanga, as saying so.

The report quotes Mozambican Vice-minister of Public Works, Housing and Water Resources Cecília Chamutota as saying the highway, once repaired, will allow people and goods to be transported more easily.

The report says state-owned China Road and Bridge Corp. (CRBC) is doing the US$5.86 million worth of work on the 35 km of the road between Pambara and Mangungumete.

The job is part of a bigger programme of work in the region, which includes repairs to the bridge over the Save River, also being carried out by CRBC, Jornal Notícias quotes a highways official, Elcídio Parruque, as saying.