Transport industry flourishes under Uhuru

Roselyne Sachiti

Assistant Editor

A GOOD transport system is critical to the development of any country.

Like arteries, the transport network moves the local workforce to and from their workplaces. It also moves goods and services, even to far-flung rural areas.

This year’s Independence Day celebrations, running under the theme “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo/ Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo”, come at a time when close to 3 000 buses plying the country’s various routes are owned by black Zimbabweans.

Transport operators told The Sunday Mail that the Second Republic’s people-centric policies have opened up many opportunities in the sector.

The Zimbabwe Passenger Transport Organisation chairperson, Dr Samson Nhanhanga, who is also the owner of CAG Travellers Coaches, said over 2 700 privately owned buses are now on Zimbabwe’s roads and beyond borders.

“This is a big milestone, which came through because of independence,” he said.

Bus imports

As an industry, he said, they had immensely benefitted from the duty-free rebate on imported public service buses introduced last year through Statutory Instrument (SI) 138 of 2022. The SI suspends import duty for approved bus importers.

“We were given a duty-free rebate for each company to import 20 buses, as compared to the past when were only allowed five buses. That is why you see an influx of buses into the country. We think that through that scheme from the Government, transport challenges will be alleviated.”

With concerted efforts from both Government and the transport sector, the mushikashika menace could be eliminated, he said.

Trafficable roads

Government has also been commended for rehabilitating roads under the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme 2 (ERRP 2).

“We encourage Government to speed up the process. It takes two things — the vehicle and the road. If the vehicle is not roadworthy, we are likely to have an accident. If we have a bad road, we may also have an accident.”

Latmark Group executive chairperson Mr Kura Sibanda said because of independence, most black people are now being mainstreamed in the country’s economic activities.

“Before 1980, what we are doing now was reserved for white people, as blacks were running small shops and tuckshops from rural areas,” he said.

Before Uhuru, he added, black transport operators were not allowed to ply inter-city routes.

“There were buses from Chawasarira, Kukura Kurerwa; they would run from Harare to Murehwa, Harare to Churumanzi, but could not do inter-city,” he said.

As an industrialist, miner and property developer, Mr Sibanda — who also has interests in logistics, agricultural processing and construction — now employs over 5 000 people.

“After independence, that industry (transport) is now controlled 100 percent by blacks. We have over 2 700 buses owned by black indigenous Zimbabweans.

“This is something our Government has done successfully,” he said.

More locals in road construction

Mr Sibanda, however, noted that there has been more participation by blacks in major road construction and rehabilitation projects.

“Out of the five contractors rehabilitating the Harare-Beitbridge road, Harare-Chirundu highway, (and) Mbudzi Interchange, four are black-owned. That resonates with the mantra that President Mnangangwa often uses that ‘Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo’.

“As a person who has travelled around the world, l cherish independence, as l am able to do what l want in our country, be it in terms of business, whereas under the white regime, l would not be where l am. l could have been a teacher, but now I am a businessperson due to the freedom brought by independence.”

Youths, he said, have to appreciate the country’s history.

“My advice to them is that nation-building is not an overnight assignment. It takes generation to generation of people who are committed to build their country.

“As a youth, you must be doing something that contributes to the development of this country. We go to school to get knowledge, not to be employees only, but to be able to start our own things to improve our lives.”

Rebuilding

Zebra Kiss Coaches managing director Mr Tangisai Mapuranga said the country’s 43rd independence anniversary comes at a time Zimbabweans are rebuilding their country.

“Blacks were only allowed to be employees. We were not allowed to own and run companies. We would just benefit from little things, yet we are the owners of this country.

“I am a director of a company because someone fought for this independence,” he said. He believes indigenisation has empowered many Zimbabweans.

“Because of the duty-free rebate, I have managed to import 20 buses. Prior to this, I brought in five buses using the 4 percent rebate. The Second Republic also allows us to operate in any province without prohibition,” he said. Mr Mapuranga currently employees 225 bus crews and 25 mechanics, among many of his workers.

“We are now a free country. The opportunities are there; doors open. Most of us are graduates; we now need people who are entrepreneurial to start businesses. The Government has opened a lot of avenues where we are given loans and start somewhere.”

He urged youths to use Government-facilitated loans wisely.

“Greener pastures are here. Some people have ventured into mining, which was not allowed before. Youths can venture into mining. I did not start by having a bus, but had kombis and grew my business to a point where I started buying buses. I also got support from banks through Government empowerment programmes. You can start as groups and be able to move up,” he said.

Twitter: @RoselyneSachiti