Free smartphones for kombi and taxi drivers. . . could this announce the end of touts?

Nhlalwenhle Ngwenya
UBER, originally an American multinational online transportation network company that seeks to make public transportation easy has arrived in Africa. In Zimbabwe a small time tech company has taken up the same concept to come up with their own, a�?hwindia�?. A closer look at this innovation, one will realise thatA� it will kill jobs for touts.

So far in Harare, the capital city, about 20 cab drivers have taken up the platform to communicate directly with commuters.

If successful, which is highly likely, it will spread to commuter omnibuses where the infamous hwindis/owindi run the show with their largely notorious and ill-mannered attitudes.

The applicationa��s innovator, Patrick Manyagadze says the technology is forA� public transport and cab drivers.

a�?The whole idea is to empower kombi and taxi drivers through ICT,a�? he said.

But where does that leave the middleman? Thata��s the rank marshals and touts.

a�?Yes, ita��s possible for touts and hwindis to be eliminated from the transport sector. If you look at the situation in South Africa, there are barely any touts,a�? said Brighton Sibanda a driver.

He added that it wona��t be as easy as a stroll in the park to take away a�?Bra Sliding door operatora��sa�? job.

a�?We are used to working with them and they are a big part of us. They are the ones that tend to have the nerve to reason or engage the police,a�? he added.

But the touts laugh it off.

a�?I dona��t see how a phone application can do what we do. We dona��t just collect money from passengers. There is a human face to this job,a�? said Mthi a windi.

Bulawayo Public Transport Association chairman Albert Ncube, said any development that makes commutersa�� life easy is welcome.

a�?We welcome anything that makes the life of commuters easy. Remember, the customer is king, so they come first.

We dona��t want our customers to be harassed or go through a hustle just to get a ride to work or back home,a�? he said.

The truth out there is that touts are viewed as the unpleasant part of a commuter ride.

Mayibongwe Moyo a commuter said the application would be a blessing if it manages to eliminate touts.

a�?It will be a great development. I know there are efforts from relevant officials directed at removing touts from illegal pick-up points, to no avail. Touts are always a problem, considering their unruly behaviour,a�? said Moyo.