Stop this Kombi surf nonsense

Arthur Choga

The idea of suddenly having a young man entangled in the undercarriage of your vehicle is not anyone’s idea of a ride to work, or home.

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Sometimes one can count up to four young men, with their trousers dangling below their waist, probably taking a cue from their owners dangling from the back of a speeding kombi.

By the way of a quick history detour, the word Kombi comes from a minibus made by the German car maker VW in 1950. It was called the Volkswagen Type 2 or Kombi. The name came from the German Kombinationskraftwagen (combination motor vehicle), with side windows and removable rear seats, both a passenger and a cargo vehicle combined.

Later versions were called the Microbus, which catch on like Kombi did.

The name Kombi has stuck and is now used to refer to all small buses. It even sounds like a local name, with its own plural forms and other linguistic appendages. (maKombi, iziKombi, amaKombi etc).

Back to the matter of the day. They call it Kombi surfing, so it is said. This behavior is as unnecessary as it is reckless. One explanation given is that the kombi will be full. I appreciate there are challenges getting bus fare, but surely riding on a lorry is safer than hanging off the back of a speeding minibus, many of which are defective.

Some ears may be hearing “driver privilege”. The writer has used public transport for the greater part of three decades and has extensive experience riding tractor trailers, open trucks, lorries, articulated buses (remember them?) “Panda” buses, Volvo B7 buses, Dyna clippers, Peugeot 404 and 504 station wagons and other vehicular conveyances.

These rides were taken on rainy days, in the dead of night, after Dream Team football games, on the way to temporary teaching outposts in some single general dealer townships.

At no time was there ever a compulsion to ride on the back of any of the assorted death traps that plied these routes.

Which begs the question. Why is there a need to do it now?

Is it some weird form of entertainment?

Some of the young men even take time to answer and make calls while they hang on the back of these kombis.

They will be hanging on by placing their fingertips in the gap between the roof of the vehicle and the boot. Others hang onto the large mirror that is placed on the back of some vehicles to get a clear view behind the car. Some have been known to hold on to the rear screen wiper. None of these items are designed to carry the weight of a human being.

The risk of falling off this car and crashing to a serious set of injuries or even death on the road below is real and a millisecond away.

There is increased risk of a lifetime of psychological harm on the driver behind this kombi if the so-called- surfer should lose his grip.

There are many drivers who on seeing a kombi with people hanging off it, they change lane if that option is available or keep as long a distance away as possible.

The Zimbabwe Republic Police put out a notice last week in which they said they were launching a programme to ensure road safety.

They should start right there. The safety of other road users is seriously compromised by these young men, who are putting their own lives at such brazen risk.

Whatever happened to the good old “Kadoma” or “Facebook” or “Face the Nation” seat where you sat (or squatted) on the engine cover of the kombi and faced the whole bus that knew you had negotiated a lesser fare?

Facing a busload of stranger while trying to balance yourself and maintain any kind of composure while sliding around on a hot metal surface, while dangerous, was infinitely safer than this Kombi surf nonsense.

It has to be stopped.