Delegates at COP17 will have access to shuttles

Lucky delegates attending COP17 have access to regular shuttles in and around Durban check out:  map of shuttle routes and times and the People Mover Map with COP17 details

Brown Brothers

The owner of Brown Brothers Taxi Association Mzi (aka Lukas) is a businessman like any other. In 1995 he decided to start his own business. A diploma in logistics planning and management made him over qualified for most of the jobs he wanted. So he started with one taxi and did the driving himself. Today he has 12 taxis operating the Howard College route, in conjunction with Morningside and Overport routes, as well as long haul destinations such as Dundee, Grey Town and Stanger.

Mzi has agreed to operate 2 special routes during COY7 and COP17 (25 November -9 December 2011). Delegates staying in accommodation in Florida road and at Barnard Close can take taxis straight to UKZN Howard College campus between 8:00 - 9:00 and 5:30 - 6:30 for R10. There will also be a lunchtime run between their accommodation and campus. See the map for details.

If you would like to hire a taxi for whatever reason, contact Lukas on 082 765 9729

will the real uMlungu, please stand up

I found myself blankly staring at the TV today with a beer in one hand and half a bag of biltong in the other, even though I began at the kettle ready to make a cup of tea. But what can I say, it was 6pm after a long day of work and I just needed to unwind.

I wasn't going to watch Days, or some rubbish other programme that was trying to be entertaining, so instead I settled for e News in isiZulu. Not that I'm fluent or wanted to watch the news. It was just a good spot to stop thinking. But then, a story about another uMlungu and using taxis caught my attention... Without understanding the dialogue, I wondered if he was a do-gooder breaking the social divide (can you see my own guilt creeping in their). Commuters were interviewed, the taxi driver was interviewed and then Alex was interviewed... if my eyes were closed, I would have thought he was a black man! He spoke fluently and turns out he is a conductor / door man on the taxis who takes your money, and gives you change.

I love this place. mmmmm Mzansi for sure!

Durban, get ready!

In only 9 sleeps, over 300 youth delegates will have arrived in Durban to attend the 7th Conference of the Youth (COY7), which aims to mobilise, unite and build capacity among the youth to strengthen their voice about climate change.

How will they get from their accommodation to the conference at Howard College?
And beyond that, how will the expected 20 000 international delegates arriving for COP17 (the 17th Conference of the Parties) commute from their accommodation and side events to the conference at the ICC?

Well, where there's money to be made and destinations to reach, it wont take long for the taxis to provide an extra taxi or two along their existing routes, or even deviate slightly from their existing routes to offer their services. Informal public transport can be terribly efficient! Now we just need to let them know that it's happening!!!

watch this space...

Check out the new "Map" tab

I've begun using google maps to locate different taxi ranks in Durban. It's a bit slow right now, but I will be adding more and more ranks, so watch this space!