v;-* >-•= v "> a G«s/vi auttttHijft* c g .

% vm m , tooia on t t ,9th tfULitm s «t 3 p*«.

i-r* :®ntt i-r.J . -;.Co-.n, (£h Ins n, toohrtton(A i :t u 7!v.l to-v dsoionor, ter^-til^inr:) •*.-. *♦*,?< .r w-a,

yi# J .N . o*on«-f t t . K . i .til ‘ . * . * • * « l-o,. - nt J r. . i, . ^ v- JUk|v »

(..-■, ?■>&! .., tftgv. '.C.Kt t. ~-y-- a. enod th* at ‘--tin wi t* -*«r af or yor.

Q)tlm-n *« ■ ismrfeg i A horrty *ol«r «o voi oxton «£ to V.w Saiivo QoaaAi«loit«r vlo w»« to »*ke the pl«oe of iter.Me o»t". jit.tr &« a j re?r event* ts vw of the 'ietioe iff«ir« Sopor' m>«nt, »'.n' bo om of the rtgrmtorl#* of th'» 'linio ohoqoo. *«fer»ttQO was oiao * it to t -oejection of &uv‘.-,«#«* loooo O'' >^o^n*e, nursMi*.* <3-jn*to*» an;. tl!-o :;-CR • tr\ er>nr-oott*v ;i vitfc th - S l W e I W f l «>'• rbPm n **«>?; ion msi's »2 ©*d **p**o*#od M o wiiliogaiMMi to holjj p*»«ot« tho w rto of th* Clinic.

i » '• r n Iv i M v vi g , • «**« tNMflKl i .

Ari in out o: Mlnutet!(a) Pin&Mtal. peal tin n of Clinlo#Ttoo #t ifo»« polato4 oot th*t ' 1th funds aoniloble 1 would bo Iwpooo* ibl* to Mfrjr oo After I N end of August with Doctors iri«tt* ond thro# B«r»w» owon though about £70 weo reeoiv* frow the JNrtli#

i> &#p*rtiB*»t on por -• ytd for tin bupirs*It woo after ttlMNMM&lMt uneiiiaouftly 4*«£#o>1 on the Motion by fto** J

J»i*.Mo on«, ?e«amle«l by it. C. Ktahwola I -(«t) There be until funu» I^ivoWi on*. ao tf»r*s vi^lt >er ^ 0 '- on fro* Attgro&t, ond tv© Karoo* of tor th« m\4 of I<eeo*ibor. {

Tho tto«r®feory woe dirorteti u> writo to Sit tor Er<# Wfir*i)inf Prolog bor of tho t«rf»in?>ti<jo of h#p 4 f .<*?» th ofi,«fo<»tbor.(bi fkot fin ooiol r t m f W suidioimt bo tn«lnt*d m*(q } tfcet b*»tfeor ooa .‘inity rm .*rt of the -llni*'* bt* obt no4»

t«i n orrioo<t «t t tettor’ i oi^it o»d Jl-i?- io« — i.~trt '’tly t m^r-'-r y,

t-ar««e« L^^ve of Abooft-:- * It dooi£# i th«.t «uroo l«'-v<*ob*ftne»* ’ b»- thfrty -ii'tyo Inn to-.cl of twenty oo^ I^ ni Fubli« KOf Lt

nt ^g iU tt io M ) ««. tV;»t ln»r*<wi K..h|eo«o toot* toor .\nn>.»- X X te in ‘ot. >b- r,

ttee i yniie Mo^itn Uoy>ortx» nt «#oo oooardin to roga'ltiooo to bo l»f«>»*^d «•' t<- t rvo i if ' or to >Mf4 >1 its 5 rr.Y- 1. Unu** r' of l l /S /4^ v e roeein-s** •(thin *»inuto lo!4 down Pttbllo IK Piporto nt. ..

Jr», Uft Wos-l*# hfit»r riu« of/ -6-t). <*mi mov« , by ft v. yi . n*^or >n<9e by ». H .3 .a*.file o rood.

Ceactltttti^nt A oo:: xotefi cN>n«tituti.>n w>‘ yot ftmlvtdt * H- »' -5 >p" 1 >**1 . bi» f\r*ni ?h« ? vi nh k ■■

t •■?' oi_ ttoo Witt or vafi left with t? Ch ir:a n. ^ I ni iP iS n * tood th« tt»ttor in h nd.

~in: i ’?r*yor' ■ ”ii‘I *o»o ' etino toy t* i3*m*- n.

o.vj :' iXT'i v .T

# /fax- j y o y t t *v^iiiJOiOR ttPtm ' ■ v i m m «sxp 1 * ■ ”A v / : »^ } J ha? 1*1 -hf. t w t t •»- ?ht: * :■ v w cy-* B > v , --•t

*

%

tok c m - im» ,?3iMa>

and

X BE tt g ;; l v g a.

<tli* r#fti«#nt» of M«x£ndnk Town#hl!> *r# r#pr«*«nt#a by thi#

M#raorrnflu«i in %h* mmn*r N*r*lwina#r*ifrn#d).

Ob or obout th# mmth of 'fctobor it* th* *#&r 19**3* th# tout in#*#* * oiroulcr introducing ^ inor#s#j tt* bu# far## of th# b*##« opor^tinr !)*twwn th# City of rad Mojrcr Totmshlo. Th# #oi« inoro®##**# th# fer# of % • #hanp#d #nd noyftbl# on overy wnbrofe#n Joum#yr*#r p*###nir#r.

Th# n m v*9 r#o#i*#d with «r*et aU«» ^ « i # rubXlo of Al#*#?5dr« Tmm«hl’!> th# roeult of vhioh **»*» r#ni*#l by *>&#e#Rfr#r# to T>#y th# 5A *M1# shoy u##& th# bus## ## u*u*l.

Th# bus own#** finding thiw«olir#« eonfront^ jith fluoh ft d##itlon th#n «hoeton#l th# r^ut# ^trm 2nd vonu#, ’ynb#***, ln«t#^ of Jt1 ##nu# In Aljxa^^r# Tovn«hlp. Thi# oul»in*t«e in th# ’“JJtou### wit 11 th«* oould m hMtft *»3, *t frea SSFhlThl# #ont«ntton r##ult#I in ton# nattly a#~#ot# whi#h it may not b#p#l#v»nt to nontlon h#r*.

Th# bu##« w#*#, ift»r th# »»1A oontontion, #t* r%*6 at th#'oviciMl. point ?9th ivm w *$ M#*t#nd*1# fow#hir) n

1 o.'re4 -Itl *>« «•*-»•* •• r ' W - - ^ -:•■• - » ■ r »"*« ,r*•fill lncr*»it# in f f#s«

Burtn* th. part* of 9 »-’<**• ^ t 2 th!«r • • • I m ;i«wsin* th» !»» •» e er-t«« »* J # ' ** >“®fck*r ,£ * r 'the w M al » •« • off on th* |th of , 3{ ***of th# 9EWM. *&*» ®&*1& I# that «# »nfl frora th#l i t ™y * 7 Z w * t x m th# fr«N» th*Il I* 5* P W r#r ««•wnbdrcA;#n Jmtrnoy*

cs3ffAi.it t z - m m n L J z a s s m *

^h#n* in 19^5. th# in#ro> *# «m mtrtv3u##« th# firtt question th«t ooott-'iod th» iilnd# of th#j»#oyl# oflovfi#hlp (#0 001*11? th# l#«d»r8> w j -hjr «ia thft ^ • 0rSJp# not ©nn*id«r it a t to h### oon#ult* ti## wjtin^# ^ith p#or>!#j to !*i-#*#nt th# Mnaitton# •jjh # »t#phJ#inp to bo liiURt Th# vnmm* to thi* qu#Htion h«t not y* b##n ri^#n* *» ?# !•••# • to tho boo ov?n«p# m f;tt##^t_»t^ c<m#wit^tlon wn« m&* nfttr. hut ## «f««» r># «|2 of th# ?#orl# of Al#w*napft Totmehlp/'Ut fo^^nj ^« bn ftno# shoot #hovinr sroflt • vA loo# to $J®*JJJ «** <*hth# inor#^## In fr.**n9 th^t ^#* th# #nft of th© < tt#«5»%#» #on#uli»tctlon*

np th# 1th

On th# 5th July f*h#n th# mattmt wn# b#foro th# CJSHTHaJU

/ROA»

mA® n m w m m m *o*m «* n*r* m »n unfortun t* position &» that our »Bpro**nt»ti¥* in th* : *roon of AdfBBato i m h had b*«rc inatrwotad nt th* *t*w*nth hour. W w a s a ^ o w M to h n roroaBntad U9 vm not «l8U «tti at %h* h*srtnf*

OB tli* r fth of JW «, 1 ^ 5 , « vrnomrtfam h#d Uwn s*nt to th* fifes** by ono Hr. R.P. H*rt.ai*Hi» who w*a oh«li»*m ^ AUx*nAi« ^of^oro* Union, * body whiofc lot iod®*d 1&»^*»p*al.Th* BSBBTrBftMB *fr**d with th* Inoroa*** It «*B « jftjo&t jj Hr. *.r '.8*m *uln fron th* st«nd ho h*d takon all tho tin* in opposition to th* «aid Inoroa**. Mo of tho WUonlo doing this rad wo consider th*t ulttwufti tho ISoord did not oof 5 3 thoy bPioA th*ir <i*olslon on It it * M projudio* o«r *****

At tho ho^rinf j it did tnnapira that tho *trot*£ point on vhioh tho Botvft bo**d it§ doolslon w*a thet tho rinoipl* roooffftixod tho vortd ow*r, io th»t or ohn^intf a P *B » p*r ail*P*r ©no tmbrokan Joumsy. Th*M» Binds *wr* fins on tho o^w viotlon th*t tho AioxoMm rout* wo* tho *h**p*st in tho vonA in n o * of tho f»«t th-t it m * n ** st od p*r 9 «iXo«.

tot no thopoforo oscmln* *lo«?*ly how thla 1* oonolst«nt with fact* i •

Tho M**andr* TowshiP 1* run «t *d. loo, quit* so. ono stay *ra -no nil* or tho Nfcoto rout* ho 1# to pay th^tJJJ.«hct ha *nda in tho world (if th* woriLd in this o®a* orowid**o good *x*apto) lo thet if on* tra**l* * all* h* oaf* for the t Mil* only »nrt not for th* wfcol* rout*.

Th* Munloipallty of Johannesburg w*a <?uot*d o* on bbbbpIb in th* aolAtinonM of tho so or Hod prlnolpl* of Id. por m io. Sot it no* noror it t*fl whoro this i# dono by tho ^twnleloallty of Johanm sbur*. v* know th* ^ Ic lp o l I**#** waning fm * Puaoaal str**t in 4oh<*m*»toiirK *o *oe*b*nk. p * dl*t*n«* is fflliStly dlff*r*nt fross th*t of y*n»nAfn Towigh^p (if it 1*). Th* f«r* for thl« dl*t&nao 1* 5dand what ij ««** it h&« itelN . V* know of n* oontoo^lr tion by «*« »*«Ac for tho rolftlnft of tho f»r* in this rout* to otftoh up vit th* *'*nny p*r nil* *o boI M #prinoipl**.

«* know tifeit th* Huniolmlity 1« wmninr o hua fr<m («v*S ; 9tr**t n*«r th* City Uoll on th* northorn ^ld*J>hor«of to Towor <NkfnCB# »roal^rv «t * samdnBB far* of 5^ U3WN >b*bb« A»a th* ofrrft** for thi* too Intt *t«t**»

________ s m m .

Tho ohiof witn*o« of tho hw® o%4ior* in thlc hoofing wo* Hr* ». !,mtb who own* no»t of th* fl»*t in th* rout* in question.

th in witno** oll*®*fl th«t h* w** UBuinu *t tho r»to of Xfo, or bo* p*r Booth. ?2w*ryh©«y wos *««**a th? t ho vo« Jtill on tho reut*. Th* Board aok** hi* * Munt Qutstion an to wtwt^jr h* VB* •ro'' roft to **11 to th* n**t 0*n who a»y hid. Th* m w * * of this* {f*ntl*rMHi wo* thft ho i* not r*rawl to **11 booouo* •Ithoufth h* U rwnninr at * loos ho a*f ©f'k* it food ^jo <2«-y.Th* »o»rd o*k*A hlB furth*r quo#tl*n« on hi* loeoo# en*5 h* ch^nrnd hi* Mind ond d*ni*d th»t h® *oid h* wo« toeing? t th* rrto of *r Booth p*r b*«. ft* now said h* wo* oot »ur* o*to how ouoli ho ^o* lo *H « b«t ^ » t h* kn*w w*» that t m n p he** ffono *o * 3rT’*n»iw* eo«pnr*d ^t>i th* r>r*-w*» >*riod tltet ho wa* runninr at * loo*. A*k*d i^*th*r ho * * • pr*^«r*d to antesit a batanoa *h*Bt *howlni? profit end loo*, h* *?4d for hu«inoa* tmroot** h* wo* not or*por*d to do thnt.

Here the Board connived with the witness in s tating that the question of whether he was still running at a profit or a loss was not Important because he had gone into business for profit and wa« entitled to Id. per mile per passenger per one unbroken Journey. We protest strongly at this attitude on the part of the Board. We are of the opinion that the Board is a Government institute for the protection of the public first and not profit first in the matter of transportation.

Let us examine closely the facts against the case of loss as alleged by the bus owners in comparison to any pre-war

period : -

We accept the argument that the material for runningthe buses has gone high, but against any such rise we have the following facts :

1, The bus owners buy their material in large quantities and therefore do not suffer the losses in the same way as individuals who buy only small quantities.

2 , As a result of the war* condition the trr-veiling population have Increased tremendously.

3, There Is hardly one bus that travels through the route with half a load, while In the pre-war period it was commonplace to see this happen.

*1-. The TRANSPORTATION BOARD has granted a 10# Increase on the load which was allowed during the pre-war period.

5. ©here is overloading existing Illegally to the

extent of double load.

6. To indicate the extent of the increase in the travelling population, some passengers *’ho can afford it and are preseed by circumstances such as the fetching of their children from the cfreche before it closes, will f® f J* . ,w,il as Hillbrow to get a bus to Town; stay on the bus until it returns to Alexandra Township and pay for both ways. This is *?n® because owing to the hu£« numbers of passengers waiting to oe picked up from town one is never sure when his or her chance will come to get into a bus. People who leave their working places at half past p.m., may be found still vralting half past

7 to 6 o*clock p.m.

7. Note that in this route there is no competition.The buses are sure of their passengers. That is to sr:y all the people (except a negligible numberJ who stay in Alexandra Township are permanent passengers of the buses. To our mim this is sufficient to offset any rise in the cost of running the buses and in fact should yeild super profit.

We might also here call for comparison of these conditions with M anywhere in the world1* or with the above quoted Municipal services. In these services there are many periods when a bus will be seen leaving a etage with only a rew passengers and reach the other end of its route almost empty.

B UP ERF AT YIELDING DAYB^

The bus owners, by the way, omit at all tlnies to state that on week-ends from 1 p.m. on Saturday to & a.m. on Monday and also on oublic holidays, the fare is bd and not 4d. Do remember that there are no stages, although we do not press ror the arrangement of stages, our point being that with the

/present

C iiinl orr$sng*»*nt of thln«* th# n5°to•iM tt ond to pl»*o the on** cm th«« to p W * our 0**0 to

b* unfound*4 b*yonfl doubft.

m ; m w a a a *l»*t*aa of ensuing on ^ J Z S T i J ? ^ or 14* !>#** nilo* w e<m*ift#r it jointly hu««« to argueon th*

TurinolT.a« of th* lw ^ J 11 * rtlbuain*#* »«n tmtortfeltluc to * Jo* routewttBt i n * * * / lr>lpX*ee •oatldop how such <*© th* ? oo*«tii ofcarry »o th?t he «o*« not takt ** T " !tJ S J ^ L S fT ^ L S !S im Tjrt! in our opinion, i^h * riafc of « w i m * » h * Ii*Ht h«« to be fiUffUtt vith Mr t t W f 'T IlS S b«

US 1*?S MMVf P K N I **W UOflfcB OUtT BE • v* -trck arc mm m that IUMU

w* ftftaslt th*t th* vufchoriti** **Ui aw %,» **« tel* OWBOF* to for** tht« i**U* Ittt that it U *

a j s s a r y ^ i - s m ' \ ^ i H £ S z i .OKniltir D m «p«rp#Wftt* of 8>* »lr»**T f l ® inttloMaolo.

lam mi *> m « , a u>'ooou*o of tho oo«#itton of w oaltU n f _ t»_ Un-^cmawy

thort h*o Mw> roSfctofi ** t f S r t t b T J t w In'l in n r olio* n o o n * ' hol»< oort«tn > « * * » to « •«» “ * '* * * _ j*

the ooot of llvlnff. *hl» lo ‘ hi? this" tolKno Itfor m*r*«*lPr th* f*re* in ^«**tion# Su* *h*n *-*r* ** * JJJ *iH forgotten tbtt th* v«|t» of th* nofMSuro:'|£n JJ? i£fLht b*!iov th* oovovty lin* befor* th* wrr ««& htiV* n«S m y kPM y*

^ r ^ > ^ r - ! T r ^ s j S t ^ f f u W T S i s s w w i g r A y g f t J s g T u ^ ^ t S t o T * ^ 1« & . » . * «

to shrr* th*t With tho rieh ^ y nod »r# gt&U *ueu*uVt!ne wealth* *hy tisfce * $*** «*# *to M U * rioh « *» •• VflAiM

tho (k>v«mo*atf b**a**f of th* w&rmt«i/tiono to py w ^ f a i t Jbar th* inftiol&ftal profiWeeoker. it i e o f c M w f w w t ir^a profit~*tOfc*r **** * oh*nee of going thr«te?h th* Igoja

of th* Oovefiwwftt re*j^tlof* 1toJ?Sfi?S«f\nit«i» S ^ *0 .

£ . " U f i J L * K » M t o S S ; S 2 i J w a S 5 » S ^ » «

S m v & c e o u r ^ s d , s « 5 g 2 - * •»ts s is ; £ s, s «m7 u «»Hooouoo of tfcoo* olrowisti-nooo, wo roj»o»t tho^OS-CTKAI.

now fWUM weSrSSw w - •« to *t«y tho rtoo tn tho »nt« t .r w *■ ttl th# (no ov».r« • * • • * lL i ! ! n1irfc *SS or tho**ttl* th* oat tor finally by oonvineing' f?rf«aont* ^h*r*in omt- trod fr.«t*.

Your# f &hfttUy,

for THE HIDWIPSWT 01 AUPtAIIDHA

tov««Hxr »t m o w » » m *

him :

TBSB2RT"

m s ® “

mehbsht

m m o c r

DEPUTATION APPOINTED AT A MESZFING OF

RESIDENTS HELD OH THE 11TH JULY 19^3

At NO. 2 SQUARE ALEXANDRA TOWNSHIP

FOR THE PURPOSE OF REPRESENTING THE

RESIDENTS IN THE HEREIN MENTIONED DISPUTE.

t o * 4 *07/1 (-

FEATURES OF TliE GRIEVANCES REGARDING THE PASSENGER TRANSPORT OPERATING BETWEEN ALEXANDRA TOWNSHIP AND THE GITY OF

JOHANNESBURG;COMPILED BY THE ALEXANDRA WOMEN'S LEAGUE

SPECIALLY PRESENTING THE WOMEN'S CASE.

In most cases women are considered to be of less importance

than men in nearly all the spheres of l i fe ; but we are not sure

that the consideration that places i t s in this position is well-

founded. We threfore herein present our difficulties in connection'x

with the abovementioned transport service in the following manner :-

THE SERVICE.

The service is run by 37 buses all of them operated by Non-

European workers. The population of Alexandra Township is estimated

at 60 , o j 0. ^ne can, therefore, safely asume that the service

caters for 30 ,000 people, wf these, 25,000 are permanently working

in the C^ity and have to travel at least two times a day to and fro

work. This number on Saturdays and Sundays diminishes by something

like ten and twenty per cent respectively owing to factories not ;

working on Saturdays(most of them) and on Sunday both factories andj

shops not working.'

It will therefore be immediately evident that for that number

of people the buses, with a capacity averaging (normally) 45 pas^enger^-

per trip, 4dx« are inadiquate. It means that each bus caters for a

little less than 2,000 passengers every day. It means that each bus

has to do 18 fcKXpx double trips each day. It will then be seen that

a bus service which would be adequate would have to be double the

present one.

In the present service no bus ever made more than ten double

trips in one day. The replies to our enquiries by the bus workersV

are to the effect that such a thing is impossible without the

employment of double the number of the present workers.

CONDITIONS.

Consider now what happens with such an inadequate service.

You will immediately be confronted with the ouestion: "What happens

to those passengers who would be carried by the eight missing double

trips?"

It means that the buses must carry much more than their

actual capacity. >.___

■_____________________________________ < ___________ - _____________

. It means that other means of conveyance have to be used by

the passengers.

It means that there must be a death and life struggle among

the passengers for space in the buses; and that means the fastest and

the strongest of the passengers will enjoy the previlege of being

conveyed by the buses. Imagine then the position of a woman.

Cueists,Many of us are employed at the factories. When we our

homes to go to work we are just in a hurry to get there as anybody

else. Under the present circumstances it is not uncommon to arrive

late at work and at the end of the week receive our pay less the time

lost owing to the inadequacy of the bus service. It is indeed a sad

position that while it is known that we need our few pennies so badly

we should be deprived of earning them by the inadequacy of the bus

service.

We are hpuse keepers and we must be early to our jobs. But

under the circumstances one cannot be early because the inadequacy of

the bus service has created a position where in only the fast and the

strong get preference and unfortunately for us we are neither fast nor

strong. One lives in constant apprehension lest she looses her job.^y?_^

We are washer-women and we must keep up to it . Our job pays us

only five shillings per week per piece. Because it pays so little we ^

have found it better to take from five to ten pieces per week and that

requires us to leave our homes as early as those who go to factories^and

other services. We find it dfefficult to cope with the time required

to do all our pieces(washing jobs) because -boc-auo-e the bus service is

inadequate.

We are house wives and when we want to go to town during the

peak tours we find it impossible to get conveyance. But this class we

cannot very much press for because it is in a position to pick and

choose its times.

These are the conditions of the said bus service. t>ome of us

have already got injured limbs and ribs through trying to run for the

buses and squeezing in with men.

A few drivers have developed a good sense in that they will

pick up women only in their buses trying to help us; but they are too

few and the odds are too great against them to alter the position.

ECJNOtoiC POSITION.

life think we can leave it safely in the hands of some other .

bodies to discus^ our well known economic position.

PUBLIC SENSE RE.UIPiED.

It requires some commendable public sense to operate a service

such as herein under consideration, and that public sense cannot be

expected of private companies such as are running the service at present.

The man who has invested his private capital in any business is only

concerned with the return he gets for that investment. He cannot be asked

to be a philenthropist. He cannot be asked to waste his time thinking

and scheming how best he can do it to satisfy the public. He spends all

his time and ernegy thinking and scheming how best to make his profit.

The present bus service would have been improved long ago before

the war were it not that the owners had and still have no commendable

public sense.-of course, now 45*.v can hide a lot behind the war condition,

it is not so difficult a thing to think bf starting queues such as

obtain in the European services run by the Municipality of Johannesburg.

It is not a difficult thing to think of putting, especially at peak

hours, a number of buses at the disposal of women only (a number estimated

to cope with the women's demand) if the men must be left to jOKxk break

their limbs in struggling for the occupation of space in each given bus.

One finds a queue of buses at the rank all empty except the first

one, and people are prevented from occupying them because the first one

has not yet loaded and left the rank. What evil would come if the people

were allowed to occupy at the sametime all the buses available at the rank

at any given time?

All this goes to show that it was originally a mistake that such

a service was allowed to fall into the hands of any body not being a

public utility body. We definitely feel that this should not be allowed

to go on.

♦

.

.

>•. ■ ■- ■- .

■*

.

, ,t

I

. .-

. U r t t J ‘ A S * - W / d

■ ' ' ' V« 0 ^X R. G* Baloyi am chairman of "the if on—Europe an Section of "the

Alexandra Transport Emergency Committee, chairman of the Alexandra Anti-

Expropriation Committee and chairman President of the Bantu Sports Club.

I have been member of the Alexandra Health Committee for the years 1938-

1939#And I have been member of the Native Representative Council for 5

years. I was elected to that position by the African people of the Trans­

vaal and the Orange Free State.Since the year 1937 I have been entrusted

with the votes of the public of Alexandra Township. I am the National

Treasurer of the African National Congress and many other African Bodies,

I have been a resident of Alexandra Township since the year 1922. I,

in the same year was a Taxi driver, and owned

Taxis in the year 192S, and in the Year 1927 I became a Bus owner.During

this time there were only five operators on the Alexandra -City Route.All

the owners were then driving by themselves. The fares were as follows

V 3 during the week and V 6 week ends.As result of competition the fares

were reduced to 9d. At that time there was no control. Each and every

owner could just run as he wished. This system made it difficult for

European Bus Owners to operate. SometUae in 1928-1929 we foiled » « what

we styled the Alexandra Bus Owners Association. This was done inorder to

accord each owner an opportunity to load accordingly. In 1931 the Trans­

portation Act was enforced. This Act compelled all owners to work and

operate according to one time table and a stipulated fare.This was done

inorder to do away with co^etion. Prior to the coming into force of % e

Transportation Act I ran buses between Johannesburg and the borders of

Bechuannalandj as well as between Johannesburg and Ramakoka's Stad.ihese

services were stopped inore* to eliminate my competion with the S.A.R.

OVERLOADING.

(a) insurance (b) Third Party Risk.

inspectorate*

(a) Genexral Administration#rar-raT? T.TTTCEN TIF.PARTMEHT.

over loading*

ROUTE.

Diatance and Stages*

t F.AK DOWHS.

Laube'w Fir®*

STATEMENT OP EVIDENCE.MAX.. .. - . . . . - .. - ......— ■ , - i . - ■■ — - — —- w

I have been a Bus Conductor for 10 years* and Bus Despatcher for a

period of 5 years on the Alexandra- City Bus Route. Only on Mondays th<

first Bus leaves Alexandra for the City at 5 .30 a.m. From Tuesday to

Saturday the first Bus leaves the Township at 4 .A.M. exxxy each day.

And on ounaays the first bus lewes Alexandra at 5 A. M. From my ex- -A

perience the despatcher can only despatch the first bus to schedule.

Buses leaving Township between 5. a.m. and 10 a.m. leave at discretion

of despatchers but not according to schedule. There after a 10 minutet

service should follow according the Time Table jbut here again it de*

pends upon the number of passengers boarding the buses duringthat

period.E.G. there is a rush on Saturday and Monday mornings and during

this tins period the Time Table is not applicable.

There are at present 37 buses plying between Alexandra and the City. (from

these buses 8 are withdrawn daily “a* 8 .A.M. to 4 .P.M. stfrom Tuesday t<

Friday. These 8 buses are booked off at either point, e.g . should a

bus be booked off at the terminus in town then it has to return empty its

to tin XsxxKhi^ Garage. These 8 buses are daily booked on the

Noord Stree Terminus-thus indicating that the buses which are garaged

in the Township have to go empty into Town to be booked on at 4.p.m.

The break period for drivers commences at 8.a.m.Each driver gets

off approximately sd ^ iirb per day. During these breaks the drivers are

supposed to park their buses on the squarefbut instead of doing so

they take the buses to whereso ever they like.

Daily between 5.30p.m. and 8.p.m« 19 buses are booked off. And 8

spare buses are left to run till l l « p . m /?-<£ "5 -

~ ttf

i t

METHOD OF CHECKING NUMBER OF PASSENGERS ______________ OH BUSES.______________________

Each bus is issued with a document called a Way Bill which is

divided into a section for the inward journey and one for the out­

ward journey. Copy of Way Bill is attached marked "A".

The Conductor is supposed to adopt the following procedure *-

At the starting point he fills in the number of passengers

embarking on the bus under the column marked ^on". At the first

stopping point he fills in under the column marked "off" the

number of passengers (if any) alighting from the bus and under the

column marked wonM any further passengers getting on the bus. He

does this at each stopping point up to the destination marked on

the Way Bill. An addition of all the passengers embarking on the

bus at the various points should give the total number of passengers

carried on the trip.

This procedure is not always adhered to by the Conductors

who apparently only fill in the Way Bills when they think an

Inspector will ask to see it. When the Inspector has not asked to

see the Way Bill the whole trip the Conductor at the end of the

trip f ill 3 in some figure as the total number of passengers carried.

There is no method of checking the accuracy of this figure.

European Inspectors are employed by the bus companies and

their duties are to check the number of passengers carried on the

buses. The procedure they adopt is almost invariably as followss-

An Inspector stands at a certain stopping point and the Conductors of

the buses of his company which are stopped by him there report to him

the number of passengers on board at the time. checks this figure

against the figure entered on the Way Bill and initials it and enters

this also in his notebook.

The procedure for collecting fares is as follows*-

On Inward Journeys t-

Up to the Yeoville Area about Forteaque Road passengers alight

from the bua continually and fares are then collected by the

Conductor as they alight. No fares are collected inside the

bus* After about Fortesque Road into town almost no passengers

get off the bus and the Conductor during that portion of the

journey collects fares inside the bus.

On Outward Journeysi-

From Noord Street to The Vale Garage, Orange Grove, the

Conductors collect fares when passengers alight and from The

Vale Garage to the terminus he collects fares inside the bus.

CUSTODY OF THE BUS AFTER HOURS.

The buses start work on Mondays at 3.30 a.m. Sundays at

5 a.m. and other days at 4 a.m. There are 37 busesfin all

7 companies)and of these 30 of the buses are taken off the road

at about 6 .30 . p.m. leaving 7 buses to run a skeleton service

until 11 p.m. This is done by agreement between the bus owners

and not because of any regulation or requirement of the Road

Transportation Board. The Board, however, has sanctioned this

arrangement. This curtailment of the service leads to in­

convenience and hardship to passengers usually numbering as much

as 1,000 for whom there is not sufficient transport after 6.30 p.

and up to about 8 p.m. The number of passengers warrants the

continuation of a three minute service being run until 8 p.m.

and only thereafter reducing the service.

When drivers knock off at the township at about 6.30 p.m.

refusing to go back on shift because they are not paid overtime

the skeleton service is continued with spare drivers. If these

spare drivers do not turn up to work on time this skeleton

service is further reduced until they do.

At night after the busses have come off duty 4 of the

companies allow the drivers to retain the custody of the buses

until the next morning. These drivers often use the buses for

< *

private purposes such as going to the Cinema or going visiting.

This does not apply to the following companies t-

Great North $ Combrinck j North Western.

USE OF BUSES PUR IMG BREAKS IN DRIVERS1 TIME.

Each driver works only 8 hours a day spread over 14 hours.

He, therefore, has a break of about 6 hours each d«y. During these

breaks his bus is supposed to be parked at No. 2 Square in the

township but this Rule is very seldom adhered to. The non-european

parking inspector employed by the owners does not insist on the

observance of the Rule. The bus drivers take the buses with them

to their homes during & e ir break. Some live as far as 2 miles

from No* 2 . Square. During these breaks buses have been seen parked

outside the drivers' homes and also at the shops and elsewhere at

the township. This practice as also the practice of permitting

drivers to retain the custody of the buses at night leads to

unnecessary waste of petrol, tyres, wear and tear.

REMARKS ON GENERAL RUNNING OF BUSES*

The first bus starts from the terminus in 9th Avenue, Alexandra

Township at 4 a.m. It leaves as soon as it is full of passengers

and there are always more passengers than the bus can take so many are

left behind. On Mondays this happens from 3.30 a.jp. and on Sundays

from 5 a.m. The buses then follow each other and leave as soon as they

are full. By about 5 a.m. during the week all the buses have left and

none have yet returned from town. There are still thousands of people

waiting to use the bus. The buses then return to the township from

Noord Street in the order in which they left* On their return the

buses slow down at the terminus in 9th Avenue where the Conductor

jumps off to have his Way Bill signed by the Despatcher. The bus

proceeds passed the terminus to 12th Street where it turns round and

comes to the terminus ^here ’’t stops. There is such a huge crowd

waiting to catch the bus that many of them jump on the bus before it

. Stops at the terminus. There is almost always a struggle to get on

the bus and many accidents occur from people falling and sometimes

even being run over by the bus. This is worse on Monday morning,

because there are more passengers on these days due to the fact that

many workers who live at their places of work spend the weekends or

Sunday nights in the township. No atteapt is made by the bus companies

or their servants to prevent the public crowding on to the buses in

this unorganized way while the bus is still in motion. There are

no doors on the buses which could be closed and opened only at the

terminus. There is no traffic controller to see that the passengers

queue up and take their turn to board the bus in an orderly way.

There is only one Despatcher for whom it is impossible to do this

job adequately. Such measures as queues or simple railings would

effectually prevent this chaotic system and so prevent many accidents

and injuries from happening. The rush is so great that passengers

even get into the windows of the buses. This disorganisation at the

terminus causes a delay in the filling of the buses. The buses would

be filled and would move off very much faster if the matter were

properly ordered. Because the buses leave the terminus in the

mornings packed out there is no roon in the buses tt pick up

passengers on the way and most of these passengers are left without

transport. It was the practice a few years ago to leave the terminus

with 7 or 8 places vacant for the purpose of leaving roca ic pick

up passengers on the way. As a result of this lack of organization

at the t erminus in the mornings many people arrive late at work and

some dont go to work because they have not been able to get on to a

bus to take them there. In the evenings from a bout 5 p.m. the

position is even worse at Noord Street. People there too jump on the

bus at the Pretoria Bridge while the bus is in motion before it has

reached the terminus. People often are pushed off or fall and are

thereby injured and again no control by means of queues or otherwise

is exercised by the bus companies. The position in the evenings is

aggravated also by the fact that the time table is either not properly

arranged or if properly arranged is not adhered to by the bya owners

with the result that the maximum number of buses are not available at

Noord Street at the peak hour of 5 p.m. onwards to take the

thousands of passengers who are waiting. The result of this

lack of organization at Noord Street in the evening is again

delay in the loading of the buses and many of the passengers

have to wait for hours before being able to get a bus* In

order toa/oid this many walk along the route towards Alexandra

Township for as much as 2 miles and get an inward bus so as to

get a seat on the bus when it starts on its outward journey to

the township* This of course costs them an extra fare* Many

passengers who work in suburbs such as Orange Grove knowing that

the outward bus will be crowded so that they will not be able to

find a seat take an inward bus to the Noord Street terminus and

remain in their seats for the outward journey. This also involves

an extra fare. This last inconvenience could be overcome by

having one or more buses which do not go to the terminus at Noord

Street but pick up passengers waiting on the road.

By 6.30 p.m. when 30 of the buses are taken off the road

there are still many hundreds of passengers waiting at Noord

Street who then have to rely only upon the skeleton service

of 7 buses which run from that time onwards* These passengers

arrive home as late as up to 10 p.m. Uany instances are on record

of passengers who are still waiting at the Noord Street terminus

for transport after 9 p.m. being asked by the Police for their

Special Passes.

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Memorandum on the Bus Services operating BpuaJubsg between

Alexandra Township and the city, and bo tween Alexandra Township

and Rosebank*

(1) FufidS.

The prevailing fares are unreasonable and (especially in

relation to the low average income level of the users of 4;he 3us

Service) exorbitant* In particular the following fares are

excessive:

(a) 5d* from Alexandra to the Union Grounds ( - this means

that approximatelyjone quarter of the average earnings of

residents is spent on transport),

(b) 4d. from Alexandra to Rosebank.

(c) 6d, fares on week-ends and holidays on the Alexandra-

City route.

(d) The charging of children the seuie fare as adults, (All

other public transport system* differentiate)*

(2) KOUTi, HI THB TO/ZBSllIP,

The route customarily taken by buses within the Township

is inaceesable to a great nui bar of residents* Alexandra is

a Township with SO thousand residents* The houaes are spread

over a considerable area* The prosent route takes no account

of this with the result that It is not uncommon for iisany

residents to have one or oven two railes to walk in order to

catch a bus* To the residents in general this is highly

inconvenient. To the women it is even more s«ricus, sine*: it is

dangerous for women feau have l-sr-.o ^st^oe# to walk atftov dark*

(3) OV .HCHOliDIia*1 n

Overerowding of buses Is co•. on. The Trensport Foard

Regulations providethat^bases nust leave the terrdnus with at

least 3 8oats vacant, as well aa stanalng room for 4 passengers"*

This reflation is fr que^ntly disregarded, oart frcra the

inconvenience fo? passengers of an overloaded bus, the result is

that, on the Alexandra-City route, people have difficulty in

getting a bus, especially during week-erds, holidays and rush

hours genei*ally*

/Departure/

(4) fc.,P. aTP RA PRO/' T IM ^C M U L a .

There is considerable irregularity in the time taken by

buses to complete a trip. The poor condition of ac no of the

buses is pertly responsible for this and these in turn slow

down other buses which fallow on behind but are not allowed

to pas8* This makes many passengers late for work through no

fault of their own* Furthermore the last bus from the City,

though scheduled to leave at 10.30 p.m. often leaves before r a t

time thereby greatly inconveniencing people who are relying on

it .

(5) DAKftaSR OF A C C IM TS .

(1) Accidents to passengers. Bus accidents, with conse­

quent injury to passengers or loss of life , happen with

disturbing frequency. The following aopear to be the more

important causes of this danger:-

(a) echanical defects and generally bad state of repair

of many buses.

(b) Speeding by bus drivers.

(o)A trlvers being under the Influence of liquor (particularly

on week-ends and holidays).

(d) Physical exhaustion of bus drivers due to wording

shifts of excessive length (apparently amounting in some c ses,

to es uch as 19 hoursI )

QlUZi, lius ;:^3.oyeos u; usually to *jxeV int erest in

their work anu are frequently careless and Indifferent to the

welfare and safety of tiieir passengers as well as be*ng

uncivil. This attitude se s to be a product of the aboveL .

laontioned excfcssiva hours of work, coupled with inadequate

(2) ACClEifllTS TO CYCLIi T.1-, .

Co Visions between buses and cyclists using the anme

route also happen with disturbing frequency. T^e factors cent.1

in the preceding par&gr*ph 5 (1 ) to explain bus accidents

generally, ars no coivbt st work ir this connection too. his tb

means danger of life and limb for the cyclists anc I ! eans

/ that da rage/

that damage to their cycle* hts usually to be repaired at

their own expense which is a great hardship* It irust be

remembered that the increasing number oIf accidents to cyclists

is bound up with the facts set out in papagraph (1) in as

aaach as .aany hundreds of residents who cannot afford the

prevailing high bus fares have had to buy bicycles in recent

menths* This large increase of bicycles on an already congested

roate has naturally greatly increased the risk of accidents.

(6) TA£I SERVICE.

Taxis have been removed from Alexandra i’ov/nship* This is

$ serious inconvenience especially in emergencies* such as

illness, when the residents find themselves without any means y

of conveyance*

■tacoy jatD-.Tiosa*

It is suomiti©u that^ certain measures should be taken

instantly In order to remedy these defects in the bus service

and to meet th^ legitimate grievances of the residents* The

following measures would go far towards achieving this purpose:-

(a) Fivitas.

a) The Alexandra-City fare on week days, and also on

week-ends and holidays* should be redisced to 4Jd*

b) The Alexandra -Ho sebank fare on week days, and also

on week-ends and holidays, should be reduced to 3d*

c) Children under 6 years should be permitted to

travel free ifi accompanied by a fare-paying passenger. Children

between 6 and 16 years should be charged half the adult fare*

(b) ROPTK IK THE TQ.ilKSH IP .

A mixed committee, consisting of representatives of the

Alexandra Bus Owners* Association and the Alexandra Comialttee

for Better Bus Service, should be set up to investigate the

layout of the Township and to work out an extended bus route

through the Township which would bs reasonably accessible to

all resiuents*

(c) 0V. KCKOft'llft0

To obviate overcrowding and the filling of buses at the

/termini/

Collection Number: AD843

XUMA, A.B., Papers

PUBLISHER:

Publisher:- Historical Papers Research Archive

Location:- Johannesburg

©2013

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