Gaborone Public Transportation

There are many automobiles in Gaborone but the majority of people in Gaborone walk or use public transportation. There are only a half dozen members of the Young Single Adult Ward that have personal automobiles, all of them men.

Public transportation consists of buses, kombis, and taxis. Buses are used mostly for transportation into and out of the city. The most common form of transportation in the city is the kombi (minivan). There are many of these. They run on regular routes but are not scheduled. Because of this quite often people are late because they cannot catch a kombi - either they are full or are not going where they need to go.

We have a kombi stop behind our house which makes it convenient for people using the kombis to come to our house for Friday night activities. In the morning and evening kombis stop behind the house every three to five minutes. During the rest of the day there can be quite a period between kombis coming by. During the busy periods the kombis are packed full - four abreast, fourteen total. Some of the kombi stops have large crowds of people during the rush hours with kombis and buses constantly coming and going. most kombis quit running about 7:30 pm so everyone has to be careful not to stay too late at activities or institute classes if they are using a kombi to get home. Being late can result in a very long walk.

There is a central bus area called the bus rank. Often people have to change kombis at the bus rank in order to get where they need to go. Kombi fare is about seven pula ($1) per ride no matter how far you are going on a route but each route charges separately. The kombi owners are all independent.

When the kombis are busy they drive very aggressively. They will pull out right in front of traffic and just wave their hand out the window like that gives them the right of way. They will drive between lanes, turn from the wrong lane, drive over the curb, switch lanes constantly without leaving room between vehicles, etc. We even watched one drive between the pumps at a gas station to get a few cars ahead. When business is slow they drive about half the speed of all the other drivers and make everyone go out around them. Everyone seems to despise kombi drivers.

Taxis are also available but cost about twice the price of a kombi ride so far fewer people use them. The young single adults will use them if there are several going together or they know they will have trouble catching a kombi.

Somtimes the church units in the villages will rent buses or kombis to get to church meetings in Gaborone.