Maputo — Mozambique's National Roads Administration (ANE) has forbidden all vehicles from using the Samora Machel Bridge over the Zambezi river, in the central city of Tete.

A statement from the ANE said the ban is intended to make possible urgent repairs to the bridge cables. The damage was caused by overloaded trucks.

The latest incident with an overloaded truck occurred on Thursday night, said the ANE. "Overloading has caused early deterioration of structural elements of roads and bridges throughout the country', said the statement.

"This emergency intervention will be preceded by an inspection and exhaustive assessment of the damage, and it is expected that this will be concluded by 10 January', said the ANE.

The bridge was built in the closing years of the colonial epoch, and was inaugurated on 20 July 1972. At the time, it was baptised with the name of the Portuguese fascist Prime Minister, Marcelo Caetano.

Currently, only pedestrians may use the bridge. Even motor-cycles are banned until the repairs are complete.

The bridge is part of the road through Tete province to the neighbouring countries of Malawi, Zimbabwe and Zambia. Travellers can, however, cross the Zambezi on the Kassuende bridge, a further six kilometres downstream.

With Samora Machel bridge currently unusable, vehicles from Tete airport, and from the Chingodzi neighbourhood, can no longer easily reach the centre of the city.