Public transport in the Swaziland (eSwatini) city of
Manzini was severely disrupted when bus operators stopped work and barricaded the
bus rank.
The action came amid confusion over how buses – known locally
as kombis – would operate as the lockdown of the kingdom due to the coronavirus
(COVID-19) crisis starts to be eased.
The problem concerned the route from Manzini, Swaziland’s
main commercial city, to Mbabane, the kingdom’s capital. Workers in Manzini wanted
to operate normally but those in Mbabane wanted to abide by existing
restrictions.
The Times
of Eswatini reported on
Wednesday (26 August 2020), ‘It was gathered that kombi operators that are
registered under Manzini demanded that all their vehicles should be allowed to
operate while those in Mbabane were of the view that only 50 per cent of the
total number of kombis servicing the route should work.’
About 130 kombis service the route.
Swaziland Local Transport Association Chairperson
Mandla Dlamini told the eSwatini Observer
an interim resolution had been made for the kombis continue operating until
Friday when the association’s executive would make a final decision.
See also
Swaziland bus operators defy coronavirus
regulations to run fully loaded despite surge in deaths
More Swaziland schools
reopen as health expert predicts coronavirus cases could triple by end of month
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