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Flora Fadzai Sibanda, [email protected] 

AFTER enduring several years of playing cat-and-mouse with the police for operating illegally along Sixth Avenue in Bulawayo, four kombi owners decided to legalise their trade by forming a taxi association. 

The organisation known as Vuka Uzimele Transport Association (VUTA), has 200 kombis operating under its ambit.

The formation of the association is a culmination of a planning process, which started two years ago.

Most of the kombis that are now operating under the Vuka Uzimele Transport Association banner, were operating illegally along Sixth Avenue.

The rowdy kombi operators were known for blocking roads and causing chaos in the downtown crowded streets.

In September 2022, Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister, Judith Ncube came face-to-face with the chaotic scenes caused by rowdy kombi crews operating along Sixth Avenue.

Incensed by the disorder, Minister Ncube quickly disembarked from her official vehicle and engaged the kombi crews on their disorderly conduct.

The minister was on her way to Lobengula Street, where Bulawayo City Council (BCC) was carrying out a clean-up exercise dubbed the “Big Spring-Cleaning Week.”

In an interview yesterday, Vuka Uzimele Transport Association’s vice president, Mr Qhubekani Nkiwane said they mooted the idea of forming an association to avoid brushes with the law, which made it difficult for them to operate along Sixth Avenue.

“We were a group of seven when we first decided to start this association. 

“Unfortunately, because the process was taking so long for us to get approval, the other three guys could not be patient and they left before everything was finalised. Now there are only four of us,” he said.

Mr Nkiwane said legalising their operations was a hurdle as the registration process was demanding, with Bulawayo City Council saying it could only allow three associations in the city as all the available spaces had been filled up.

“Despite all those challenges, we didn’t give up as we kept pushing and I am glad our patience paid off when BCC finally gave us the green light last August to start operating,” he said.

“Despite the problems that we encountered with the local authorities, our customers used to complain from time to time about the rowdy behaviour of our drivers. This is one of the problems our association has managed to solve.”

Mr Nkiwane said if their driver or conductor engages in a wayward manner, customers should report them. 

“We make sure that they are punished. For instance, we can suspend them for a week and ensure they stay at home doing nothing or they pay a certain fine.

“More so, having an association helped us to get access to using designated pick up and drop off points such as Egodini taxi rank,” he said.

Kombis under the “Vuka Uzimele Transport Association” banner are plying the Luveve and Khami roads route.

Bulawayo Deputy Mayor, Councillor, Edwin Ndlovu said forming the association was a good move.

“BCC has a transport policy that every operator should follow, and one of the things they should do is to belong to a taxi association. 

“I hope they will continue to work hard to ensure that kombis operating under their banner follow all the city rules and by-laws,” he said.

“Another good thing, which has come from this initiative is that we are slowly seeing de-congestion from Sixth Avenue. It will also help reduce pollution and rowdy behaviour.”

— @flora_sibanda