Durban — Daily News multimedia journalist Zainul Aberdeen Dawood has brought to life the colourful history of the non-subsidised bus services in Durban, colloquially termed “Indian Buses”, in his latest book, titled Phoenix Buses: Social Space and Pride of a Community.
The book was launched this week at the Durban International Book Fair being held at Sibaya Casino.
The book takes readers on an historical journey of how the housing schemes of Phoenix were conceived and how the influential bus owners played a pivotal role in keeping the wheels turning.
Colour pictures capture the beautifully-designed buses, unique to Durban, and the employees who worked in the bus services. The book also includes historical anecdotes on the bus-body builders.
The book gives a multiracial account of how passengers, classified as Indian and black by the previous government, travelled alongside one another in harmony.
The book also takes cognisance of the Ukuthuthuka KwamaQadi Bus company of Inanda.
This is the first book written about Phoenix since it was built in 1976.
Phoenix rose amid rolling hills of sugar cane and its growth was influenced by neighbouring African suburbs such as Inanda and KwaMashu.
“I get asked the question: Why Phoenix? My response is that authors worldwide write about various topics from guns and wildlife to ships. My passion and research focused on buses in Durban. I was employed as an inspector in the bus industry for eight years (between 1996 and 2004), in its peak period. Some of my experiences and that of other bus employees are depicted in the book,” Dawood said.
The book fair continues until Friday night at Sibaya, and then at Pick n Pay Hypermarket in Durban North until Sunday.
Authors speaking tonight include Professor Joseph Conrad; Nava Naidoo, who wrote Soul River; Dr Aman Singh Maharaj, whose book is titled Dalliance with Destiny; Dr Sibongiseni Mgolozeli, who wrote Speech Checklist; and Nivashni Nair.
For more information, visit www. madeindurban.co.za
Daily News