Mangaung-based bus company, Interstate Bus Lines, faces severe financial challenges as 50 years of operating beckons.

Critical underfunding, bad roads and the ever-increasing fuel price are some of the challenges that Free State-based bus operator has to contend with to keep operating.

The company, which transports about 25 000 people between Thaba Nchu, Botshabelo and Bloemfontein daily, says it has had to innovate to keep providing a service to commuters. The bus operator was founded in Thaba Nchu in 1975 as a family business.

Interstate Bus Lines is currently the only bus company operating in Mangaung. This is as the Mangaung Metro struggles to get its Hauweng Bus Service operational.

As the 50-year milestone approaches in 2025, the company says it faces annual shortfalls of up to R10-million.

Board Chairperson, George Mokgothu, explains that the company does not get a subsidy from the province in terms of the Division of Revenue Act, which makes provision for a supplemented subsidy.

“We are seriously engaging the Department of Community Safety, Roads and Transport because the subsidy that this company gets is a supplementary grant that comes from the National Department of Transport and Provinces. Unfortunately the Free State is not one of the provinces that supplements the grant, unlike North West, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal. So we are seriously engaging the Department with the view of finding a lasting solution around this because it has a huge impact on our operation and its sustainability.”

Mokgothu says their biggest achievement over the years has been the transformation of the company. The company is owned by management, staff and taxi owners in Mangaung.

“So we are very excited to have achieved this milestone, it’s a historic milestone judging from the fact that we come from very humble beginnings in Thaba Nchu in 1975, operating with four buses. So, this is a major achievement and throughout the 50 years we have been able to grow this company, we have been able to transform the company and we’ve been able to invest within the communities that we operate in.”

Commuters say the company should introduce a discount as part of its celebrations.

“We are not happy with the trucks that they introduced in the trusts in Thaba Nchu, those trucks are bad and they must upgrade. We are happy with the service but they must sponsor the community to get children off drugs and away from the streets.”

The company will celebrate its 50th anniversary next year.

It has already begun some legacy projects including an empowerment programme for small businesses around Mangaung, as part of its celebrations.

 Challenges faced by Free State bus operators