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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter
A DRIVING school owner who used to operate in Botswana has set base in Lupane, Matabeleland North tapping into the largely rural market that is often neglected.

Mr Fedson Nyoni operated a driving school in Botswana for nine years before returning to the country in 2016 after the neighbouring country decided against renewing his work permit.

Mr Nyoni, who hails from Gokwe in the Midlands, decided to continue with his trade, registering with Zimbabwe Traffic Safety Council (ZTSC) to offer driving lessons locally.

He established Oriel Driving School which has offices at Lupane Business Centre, but practical lessons are mainly done at Mhlahlandlela also known as Shabulanyana Village, about 2km away from the growing provincial capital.

On a weekly basis, he takes aspiring drivers for tests to Hwange Town where the Vehicle Inspection Department depot is located in the province.

A Chronicle news crew on Monday visited the driving school and Mr Nyoni was taking one of his students through the lessons.

The news crew observed that he has made a makeshift ‘‘drums’’ made from small logs and used tyres where students go through as expected in line with the tests at VID.

He has also set up parallel parking and three-point turn practicing areas where aspiring drivers conduct their training in the sandy Lupane soils.

Just a few metres from where he conducts the driving lessons, is a playground for children, a community borehole and a community garden.

Mr Nyoni said the sandy soils were a challenge for his students and he is considering putting gravel on site so that the area becomes more navigable.

“I came here three years ago after I returned from Botswana where I used to operate a driving school. While I come from Gokwe, I decided to come and set up my driving school in Lupane because this is a developing area. As it develops, I also want to be part of its development process. So, I engaged the community here to establish my driving school and they granted me this place,” said Mr Nyoni.

He said he charges US$5 per lesson and also accepts livestock from villagers as payment.

Mr Nyoni said villagers have become appreciative of his driving school and most of his clients were from rural areas.

His clients also include those working within Lupane Business Centre as well as students and staff from Lupane State University.

“So twice a week, I take students for a test drive in Hwange Town where there are VID offices. It is my hope that as Lupane expands, the VID offices come down to Lupane which is the provincial capital where most services are being provided. The business is good and that is why I have been in business for this long. For instance, I also accept payment in livestock as long as we agree with customers the price of the animal that they would be offering,” said Mr Nyoni.

Government is in the process of constructing the Lupane Provincial Hospital and is finalising building Welshman Mabhena Government Complex which will result in departments moving from Bulawayo to Lupane.

He said having a driver’s licence was important.

One of Mr Nyoni’s students, Ms Karen Mabhena said the driving school’s proximity to the community was important as distance was no longer a barrier to accessing a driver’s licence.

“In the past we had people travelling to Bulawayo to learn driving but now we learn it here where we stay. This driving school is helping a lot of people, some people still travel long distances just to come and learn driving here but it is better than travelling to urban areas just to learn to drive,” said Miss Mabhena.

She said the limitations of having a rural-based driving school is that as students they do not interact with a lot of traffic which they will experience in real life situations.

“Also, there are not so many road signs that we use here which is also another challenge. Again Lupane, is just sandy which is a challenge for most of us who are still learning to drive. But we are grateful to have people bring such services to our doorsteps.

A lot of people who might never have had an opportunity to drive due to distances can now get driving licences which can even assist them in acquiring jobs,” she said.

Mhlahlandlela villagers said the driving school has empowered both the young and old.

One of the villagers, Mrs Siphephile Mlalazi said having a driving school in a village shows that development was coming to Lupane.

“We are not just taking it as a driving school but a business that is transforming our community. He could have gone anywhere to set up his driving school but he established it here, which is important for us. Such businesses are giving our children opportunities that they never had. We have people coming from as far as Tsholotsho just to do driving lessons here,” said Mrs Mlalazi.

Mrs Lisina Nomusa Moyo said some of the children who failed Ordinary Levels train as drivers which assist them in getting employment.

“This driving school is very helpful to us here. He started operating here three years ago. We didn’t think it was going to last this long but we have also supported it as it equips our children with skills.

We have a lot of children who do not pass their Ordinary Level examinations who have learnt driving here,” said Mrs Moyo.

She said villagers were producing vegetables in community gardens as well as selling livestock including chickens to pay for driving lessons for their children.

Mrs Moyo said it is not only the young people who are taking driving lessons but adults who believe that after getting licences they can get employment opportunities.

Lupane Business Association chairperson Mr Leonard Moyo said Mr Nyoni is overwhelmed with clients.

He said more players are needed in the sector who can provide other driving lesson classes.

“At the moment he has one car and I think we need more players who can provide Class 1 and Class 2 driving lessons. It is important to have driving schools as it shows that the area is also growing,” he said. — @nqotshili