Mai Zviko – female bus driver bares all
She said for the past two years she has been travelling to Francistown (Botswana) from Bulawayo and back on the same day. She said the journey was a difficult one and other companies have two drivers but she would go alone and come back.
“We would leave Francistown at 3pm, it’s a night bus so sometimes you really feel the urge to sleep. It’s painful, you would just be praying that God help me so that I arrive safely,” she said.
She said women drivers were not treated any differently from their male counterparts but lamented sexual harassment at the workplace.
“We are not treated in a special way. Any route that our buses ply can be taken by any other driver. We exchange buses and sometimes you can be given a problematic one. So you just need to accept it and take your spanners. The challenge that is common is that of sexual harassment. Men want to take advantage of women.
“It happened to me. I had a case with a colleague but it was dealt with by the human resources and it ended internally.
Another lady was harassed in another town by her superior who was interested in her. She resisted and her life was made difficult, she was denied duties and sometimes she was given buses known to have mechanical faults. She was later transferred back to Harare,” said Mai Zviko.
She said Zvikomborero was the name of her daughter and when she visited the garage the foreman had to familiarise the name Mai Zviko and even brought a banner with the name Mai Zviko which became the name of the bus.
On the road she said she competes very well with buses that were known for speed. In cases of a breakdown like a tyre puncture, she said passengers were always ready to offer a helping hand. “Passengers always take it as their duty to assist which I think is very commendable.”
Born on 21 September 1980 Mai Zviko joined Zupco in 2015 through a programme of women empowerment where there were a group of women trained by Zupco. She said prior to that she was working in an office.
“I was an office lady for your own information but I changed. It was just going opposite worlds. Driving long distances was painful at first, but I have become used to it. It’s an adventure. I meet new people every day and it excites me. I am someone who is very sociable,” she said.
She, however, believes women are better drivers than men.
“Men can be reckless at times but we are now used. At times you drive the vehicle in front, behind you and yours. Sometimes you see someone sleeping on the steering and hoot to wake them up or sometimes you just overtake them and go, you just react accordingly,” she added.
Mai Zviko says she has a relationship with passengers.
“I have a WhatsApp group of my passengers where there are more than 100 customers that I will be communicating with. They book seats and others send parcels and groceries. We just received word that one of my passengers lost a child and we are contributing towards the funeral and arranging that those who are close go to the funeral. You end up being relatives from those social engagements and I enjoy it.”
cordial