Tendani Sebata revolutionising luxury travel

EVERY day, Zimbabweans embark on journeys to South Africa, and Tendani Sebata, founder and CEO of Sebata Luxury Coaches, ensures on making them an exceptional experience for travellers.

Born in Beitbridge and raised in the village of Tshabetha Magolongwani, Sebata’s journey to success in the transportation industry has been driven by determination and a passion for the sector.

Despite encountering challenges, such as securing loading facilities in Johannesburg and navigating law-enforcement issues along the Johannesburg to Bulawayo route, Sebata has expanded his business to offer luxury coaches with a focus on customer comfort. The company offers hostesses to take care of customers and a streamlined reservation process via WhatsApp.

The company works closely with organisations like Outspoken Consultants to provide necessary training to its staff members.

“I attended school at Tshabetha and Tshamnangana, followed by high school at Zezani and Kolo secondary schools. From a young age, I harboured a strong desire to become a successful businessperson. In Form 3, I seized an opportunity to apply for a soft loan to establish a remote store specialising in box doors, but my application was unfortunately declined,” he said.

Sebata recounted that he established Manica Freight in 2002, a company that has since evolved into Cive Logistics. This venture laid the groundwork for his future successes in the transportation industry.

“My journey in the transport industry began early in my career. Initially, I worked as a document-clearing runner for agents at the border, which eventually saw me founding Manica Freight, now known as Cive Logistics, in 2002.

“Sebata was officially launched in December 2023. Despite our successes, we encountered challenges in our operations, including securing suitable loading facilities in Johannesburg that cater to our clientele base. Additionally, navigating law-enforcement issues along the Johannesburg to Bulawayo route, including unwarranted bribes, poses obstacles. We strive to operate a cashless system, yet our drivers face difficulties with hostile and unnecessary stops that result in monetary requests,” he said.

Currently serving the Johannesburg to Bulawayo route, Sebata Luxury Coaches has ambitious plans to expand to Harare and Gweru within the next six months.

However, “sourcing buses has proven to be an obstacle due to existing backlogs, limiting availability and causing delays”.

Despite this hurdle, Sebata remains steadfast in his belief that customer comfort is paramount and this philosophy permeates every facet of the company’s operations.

“What makes us unique from other brands is our attention to detail, our customers and luxury. We have ensured that our coaches focus on comfort and we also offer hostesses that take care of our customers and ensure that the comfort of the customer is a priority.

“We have hostesses that we work with and also teams on the ground that are always ready for updates or communication from the buses. We pay attention to detail in terms of our passengers through the hostesses and safety is our priority,” said Sebata.
Sebata further elevates the customer experience by embracing technology. A streamlined reservation process allows passengers to conveniently book their trips online via WhatsApp.

“We are now able to do online bookings via WhatsApp. We mastered that and as the business grows, things change as well in society hence, it is important to stay in alignment and understand what is happening in the industry.

“We are making sure that we are constantly developing as we move forward,” he said.

Beyond his busy schedule, Sebata enjoys playing golf and spending quality time with his family.

“I am available for church on Sundays and cherish visits to family members when business commitments allow.”

A crucial aspect of Sebata Luxury Coaches’ success lies in the professionalism and expertise of its staff members. – Follow on X @MbuleloMpofu