Online Reporter
Obey Sibanda
LOCAL businessman and transport operator, Mr Dumisani Khumalo, who passed away on Sunday morning after a long illness, will be laid to rest today at his rural home in Gwandavale, Gwanda District.
He was 56.
Mr Khumalo was the owner of Ndanisa Bus Travel and Tours, which operated a fleet of buses and commuter omnibuses servicing routes across Matabeleland South and Matabeleland North.
Family spokesperson Mr Davie Moyo said Khumalo’s entrepreneurial journey was marked by resilience and determination.
“I remember there was an auction at the University of Zimbabwe, and he went there to bid for his first bus. After that, he bought more and more buses,” he said.
Mr Moyo, who grew up with the late Mr Khumalo, described him as a generous and humble man who always helped others in need.
“When I faced a serious financial problem, I advised the family to approach him despite some scepticism due to his status. He assisted me without hesitation,” he said.
Other transport operators, including Mr Ntshali Hlabangane of Bafanabafana Bus Service and Mr Patrick Dube of Green Horse Bus Service, have pledged to keep Mr Khumalo’s legacy alive by mentoring his son, Mr Dalithemba Khumalo (23), in navigating the competitive transport industry.
Mr Moyo said Mr Khumalo had already started grooming his son to take over the business.
“He always emphasised the importance of respecting the laws of the land to thrive in the transport industry,” he said.
Mr Sipho Ndlovu, secretary of the Bulawayo Bus Operators Association and owner of Gatsheni Express, described Mr Khumalo as “a sharp and intelligent individual.”
“He had a way of diffusing tense situations and was a very reliable person. It’s particularly saddening that he passed away just as his business was starting to flourish,” said Mr Ndlovu.
Mr Khumalo was part of a generation of Zimbabwean entrepreneurs who helped sustain regional transport connectivity at a time when long-distance travel was largely dominated by South African operators.
Through Ndanisa Bus Travel and Tours, he played a key role in linking rural communities in Matabeleland to major cities, contributing to both cross-border mobility and local economic activity.
Mr Khumalo who was born in 1969 in Gwandavale, is survived by two wives and several children.
Bongani Moyo