FLOODS, LIONS
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but no snow!
IT is wise for a person new to Southern Rhodesia to forget most of the basic principles he has learnt with regard to the operation of goods road transport and equip himself with an almost completely new set. In fact, the only one I can think of which I would retain is one drummed into me by my father many years ago—give a better service than the other fellow.
Our central base is in Salisbury, with two other depots, one in Bulawayo, 290 miles away and the other in the adjacent territory of Nyasaland at Blantyre. 400 miles away. We operate two routes—SalisburyBulawayo and Salisbury-Blantyre..
Our fleet consists of 20 vehicles, all the machines on trunk routes being Aibions. On the Bulawayo run we operate 12-tonners, but to Blantyre we are limited by a variety of circumstances to 6-tonners.
Our drivers and loaders are all native and do their job in many ways equally as well as their white counterparts in Britain. Each driver has with him two boys (umfaans) about 18-19 years old, who stay with the vehicle and load in case of breakdown in some remote spot. On the Blantyre route each driver takes a 100 lb. sack of mealips, provided by the company, and this is their food until they return in approximately seven days' time.
I say "approximately" advisedly. There are eight to nine months of dry and three to four months of wet weather. For those eight to nine
months we cross rivers which are dusty rather than wet. With the exception of the Zambesi, all the
rivers are bridged. •
In December, down come the rains and what was a quarter of a mile of sandy bed becomes a raging torrent in a matter of an hour. In due course, the bridge is washed away and then it is a question of waiting until either_ the river falls low enough to ford, or retains sufficient depth of water to bring a pontoon into action and float the vehicle across.
In this connection, I should mention that great strides are being made by the Southern Rhodesian, the Portuguese and the Nyasaland governments to improve the bridges on this road to avoid these annual washaways. It is always a hazardous proceeding to use these pontoons, particularly as the approach down to the river bank is a steep Over the Top I remember on OrR occasion a driver., came down one of these slopes somewhat lightheartedly, landed on the pontoon but went straight on over the end, with disastrous results to his load and to a lesser extent the vehicle. Pontoons are not designed to accommodate a vehicle of larger wheelbase than the 6-tonners we operate, so we are limited as to length and width.
Every* vehicle passing out of Rhodesia into Portuguese East Africa, must pass through what is colloquially, known as the "Smut" house. This is a brick building with an entrance and exit about a foot higher than cab height and built right across the track.
Its purpose is to ensure that all vehicles are sprayed to prevent tsetse fly from being carried from one country to another. Every vehicle pulls in, the doors are shut, the 'vehicle is sprayed and then passes through to the other side. The height to which we can load is strictly limited to the height of the entrance to this building.
On one occasion, a vehicle was delayed half a day by a pride of four lions. They had killed in the middle of the road and did not move until they had satisfied their hunger off their victim.
In the event of a breakdown, it is dangerous to leave the cab of the vehicle, and it is always wise to have two boys on watch while repairs are effected. All vehicles carry a spare front spring, and native drivers think nothing of changing a broken spring on the road and are good at improvising to get their vehicle running. The temperature is always high, and around the Zambesi it is often 120 degrees F.
Our other route to Bulawayo is much different. The road is either
bitumenized or . in the process of becoming so, and will, when finished, be 270 miles of good surface. The main traffic of the country passes between Bulawayo and Salisbury and both towns are expanding their industrial development at a high rate. Each town has a white population of approximately 30,000 and roughly three times that number of natives and coloureds. Other important places lying on this route are Gatooma, Que Que and Gwelo.
British Licensing System
The licensing system is similar to that which obtains in Britain, whilst the railways, which also operate road services, are government-owned.
The types of traffic offered vary greatly. Apart from foodstuffs, paint and suchlike, a tremendous quantity of blankets is manufactured in Bulawayo, all for native use. There is also a big movement of agricultural machinery. The largest individual traffic in Southern Rhodesia is tobacco, but this is largely railborne. From Nyasaland1 the tea growers send .a large quantity of tea both into Rhodesia• and through to the Union of South Africa.
Anywhere in the world it is sound policy to avoid breakdowns and accidents, but in Rhodesia it is vital. It is no exaggeration to say that avehicle can be awaiting repair up to six months and often longer than that. This is largely because of an acute shortage of fitters, and anyone in this category thinking of emigrating would be welcomed with open arms. The spares position has improved and farsighted vehicle manufacturers are preparing to give the service which vehicle operators in the colony are fully entitled to expect.
Rates are variable, there being no fixed scale of charges. It is Understood, however, that road rates must not undercut rail. Transport operation anywhere is interesting, and nowhere more so than in Southern Rhodesia. We have our troubles, as
have enumerated, but there is one we never have—snow.