In Umlazi in 1963 for transport people were travelling on buses called PUTCO, buses were travelling 24hours. PUTCO were not using diesel they were using springs. When they were going to work these springs must rotate until it became full, the busses were not working if the spring is not full. They also used paraffin to remove the rust from the springs.
People in uMlazi also used motors like dumps motors, these motors used springs like the busses. Busses cost 3 cent locally. In 1986 PUTCO was removed, the busses which came after PUTCO was Co-operation which people called kopeletsheni, it was there in 1988 and 1987 there were private buses. Co-operation used diesel to go and it went on the road same as PUTCO. Busses now use diesel to run, and they have their own bus stops to stop and now they use tickets. When you enter it you pay first and get a ticket/slips.
In 1964 the train started and they used coal to make it go as far as it can in the rail, this train worked from 5am to 10pm. These trains were making air pollution and they changed it to electrical, which started in 1967 which goes from 3:30am to 10pm. These trains had cables on top of it which help it to go through, and have a railway which only trains go through. UMlazi has 4 stations (uMlazi station, Lindokuhle, KwaMnyandu and Zwelethu – they were built in 1964, updated in 1990, and the last update was in 2010 but uMlazi station did not update its station.) It cost 18 cents from uMlazi to Berea station return.
In the 1970’s taxis started, they were meter taxi Valiant which carried 4 in front including a driver and 6 in the back seats. They cost 10cents from uMshiyeni to uMlazi station. Valiant taxis are still there, if you go to Clairwood you’ll find Valiant taxis and they still work. Valiants use petrol to go. Now there are too many taxis around uMlazi – kombis.
GROUP MEMBERS: Mthobisi Nene, Lwazi Mhlongo, Nomthandazo Mngadi, Nombuyiselo Mdlalose