CONDUCTORS ON BRINK OF EXTINCTION?

MANZINI – Kombi conductors are bracing themselves for the worst as most public transport owners are widely considering to dump them and only stick with drivers, as a cost cutting measure.

This puts at least 2 000 jobs at risk, something that is bound to undermine the economic stability and growth trends. 
Already, in some selected routes, kombi drivers are without their assistants, a development that owners are watching with keen interest. It is common knowledge that in most parts of South Africa, kombis embark on trips without conductors.

Expelled

Last year, Durban inner city kombi drivers announced they had expelled all conductors because they were not living up to hygienic expectations. On the contrary, Eswatini conductors afford All-Star sneakers and trending brands such as Redbat, Relay and Levis, much to the dismay of the owners.  
Meanwhile, a kombi owner, Mbuso Dube, said government should resume job creation initiatives to accommodate the many conductors.
Dube is one of the kombi owners servicing the Manzini-Ngculwini route, who got rid of conductors in November last year.

“There are a number of factors which caused owners to resort to the decision. We had discovered that most of the conductors were stealing the money. They were also involved in love affairs with pupils, whom they wooed with the money.  I think it is inevitable that we, as a nation, come up with strategies to create other job opportunities for these conductors because if we remove them from the kombis, where are we expecting them to while-away time,” he said.

Dube said since the conductors were removed from Ngculwini, savings of up to E200 in daily returns were being realised by most owners.
He also said the fact that most kombi owners had bought Toyota Quantum vehicles, meant there was a need to cater for the high vehicle service costs.
Meanwhile, Derrick Dlamini of the Manzini Local Kombi Association, said he had heard a few owners saying they were thinking of getting rid of conductors, but nothing concrete had been done to that end.

“I was expecting them to come to the office and state their case so we can weigh the merits and look at alternatives,” he said.
Dlamini said public transport owners were complaining that some of these conductors were not even known to them.

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