Education
Educated locally and graduated BSc in Engineering from the University of Oporto in 1942.
Educated locally and graduated BSc in Engineering from the University of Oporto in 1942.
After teaching in Oporto he volunteered for service overseas and was sent to Mozambique in October 1945 as an engineer second class in the Public Works Department. Promoted engineer first class in May 1951, he was appointed chief engineer at the Research Laboratory in Soil Mechanics in 1952. After being acting Director of Public Works and Transport for two years he was given the full responsibility as Director in 1958.
He returned to Lisbon early in 1961 to become Chief Inspector of Public Works and Communications at the Ministry of Overseas Provinces. So impressed was the Minister, Adriano Moreira, that in June 1961 he was promoted Provincial Secretary of Public Works and Communications in Angola to give a much-needed boost to economic and social development after the shock of the guerrilla offensive opened in March 1961. Having set a pattern of accelerated progress in electrification, road building and social services, he was recalled to Lisbon in 1962 to be Director-General of Public Works and Communications at the Ministry of Overseas Provinces.
In Lisbon he was increasingly called upon as a consultant on a wide range of overseas projects. He became involved in committee work on roads, railways and ports especially when strategic defence interests were concerned. He was often in delegations discussing communications with South Africa and Malawi. His advice was frequently sought when the Third Development Plan was being drawn up for the Overseas Provinces.
In 1967 he acted as adviser to the Corporative Chamber and was president of the board of the Lobito Mining Company. He headed a delegation to South Africa in 1967 and 1969 and took part in talks with Malawi officials at Lisbon in 1970. In March 1972 his close co-operation with South Africa was recognised by being invited to open the Rand Easter Show at Johannesburg. On his first visit to the Tete district in June 1972 Pimentel dos Santos claimed that the tide had turned against the guerrillas and the battle for control of the district had been “fought and won" by the Portuguese army.
An authority on many technical problems with a gift for simplification which has made him a popular author of engineering textbooks widely read in Africa, Europe and America. His experience in overseas administration for the Portuguese government has been extensive—from Macao to Mozambique and has been broadened by attending conferences with Malawi, Malagasy and South Africa. He has worked hard to develop close links with South Africa as a confirmed believer in the economic solidarity of southern Africa and thinks that one day Mozambique could have enough devolution of authority to stand on her own feet.