Kopano Bus Service was founded by ten shareholders in 2001 as a Black Economic Empowerment close cooperation. Key among this entity’s aims include transformation, empowerment and development through the provision of safe, reliable, accessible, and affordable public transport services in the Limpopo Province of South Africa.

The company is determined to ultimately reach destinations in the Southern Africa region in line with its values listed as Quality, Safety, Reliability, Integrity and Respect.

Meaning

The word Kopano is derived from the Sepedi language, spoken largely in Limpopo Province of South Africa meaning “amalgamation, unity or coming together”. This is because in this case various small bus entities came together to form a unit to impact communities and take public transport to the next frontier.

Strategic Leadership and Human Capital

Mr. John Modjela is currently the Chairperson following the passing of the founding chairperson Mr. Herman Mangwale (May his soul rest in peace) during 2021.

The female and youngest among the 10 founding members Ms. Olivia Maponya is continuing to steer day to day operational activities as Executive Director, the position she has been occupying since the company’s inception in 2001.

The entity’s functional structure is designed along five main areas in pursuit of the attainment of strategic objectives, administrative excellence and proper delegation of duties: Operations; Technical Services; Strategy formulation, alignment, Research development and Business Planning; Corporate and Support Services; and Governance. The company has created permanent employment for hundred and twelve people and more than hundred casual workers.

Brand development

It is a well-known fact that branding creates “Trust” amongst consumers. After operating for years as a trusted bus transporter in Limpopo Province, Kopano Bus Service Board of Directors and management took a conscious decision to re-position the company in order to improve its Brand value so that it can differentiate itself from its industry peers. Transforming the company into a Brand has increased its demand and quality of service it offers to its customers which improved even the perception that the community have about the company.

Branding has created more demand manifested in the high volumes of passengers which also resulted in positive revenue and sustained growth of the business. The work of turning the company into an iconic brand involves all employees in all departments up to the board of directors and shareholders.

Recognition Awards

The success behind Kopano Bus Service is brought by the Inclusive kind of leadership, which is embedded into the Organisational culture, coupled with system thinking approach and creative thinking and innovation.

The company has thus far reached several milestones in the form of the following awards:

• The Standard Bank’s Top Women Award in its sector valid from 29/08/22 until 29/08/23.
• An international, The Winner Europe, France 2022 in Excellence in Product/Service 2022 award from International Business Institute (IBI). Kopano Bus Service is amongst the few in Africa to have reached this milestone.
• 3 x Diamond Arrow awards in the PMR.Africa Award 2022. This company is the 1st overall winner in the three categories of companies held in high esteem as good corporate citizens, best transport company based on their corporate responsibility and initiatives in Limpopo over the past 12 months.
• Kopano Bus Service company further shined at PMR.Africa awards 2022 by grabbing two more accolades, Best Local Transport Company in Limpopo contributing towards economic growth and another award for its contribution towards Women Excellence in Limpopo.
• To date Kopano Bus Service has maintained its winning streak in the PMR.Africa Awards consecutively since 2014.
• Many recognitions since 2005 for the Driver of the Year competition by Department of Transport in the Limpopo Province, South Africa.
• 1st runner up for Productivity SA competition on innovation and creativity

Given ready handles to touch on strategic partnerships and associations, Kopano Bus Service has managed to retain and maintain its strategic partnerships, internal and external stakeholders since inception to date.

Passenger transport services

Kopano Bus Service fleet is mainly made of commuter standard 65 seaters and 80 seaters capacity buses. These buses are reliable, comfortable and consistently clean to offer passengers a superior onboard experience.

Services comprise scheduled commuter transportation for passengers between Polokwane City and surrounding rural and urban areas within the Capricorn District Municipality.

The entity also offers touring and travelling services to all the cities of South Africa. On request the buses can be hired for special occasions as well as special hire services. Also, on offer are specialized private hire services for organized groups such as churches, schools, clubs and societies as well as hires for funerals.

Kopano Bus Service prides itself with the role it plays in keeping operations working, moving and growing which in turn makes the life of commuters from the villages and the city more convenient.

The company, being a transport entity is striving to achieve its objectives while rebuilding and transforming the bus service for the thousands of current commuters and future customers.

Safety

To ensure safety of passengers, the company conducts regular safety checks on the fleet for maintenance and repairs. Regular refurbishing of busses is adhered to in order to keep busses roadworthy and meet the required standard of acceptability by passengers.

The entity operates in line with and within a legislation and policy framework such as prescribed by the laws and regulations of the Republic of South Africa.

Kopano Bus Service also functions within the range of several pieces of transport legislation, regulation and policy context in line with the developmental and strategic objectives of the Province and that of the municipalities that it operates within.

Empowerment of employees and health wellness

As evidenced by awards in the empowerment of gender, the company is passionate about ongoing training, and upgrading of skills and expertise among its staff across gender.

The health and wellness programmes are held quarterly to improve employee’s health and financial wellness which contributes to employees in making smart and healthy choices that can reduce health care costs, increase vitality and diminish absenteeism.

Competitive advantages

Customer service

Kopano Bus Service delivers consistent customer experience through offering different products which give her passengers options to choose from. Management and employees maintain a positive attitude, focused support on the passengers, creative problem solving, provides effective and efficient transport services for best clients and passenger experience

Reliability

Kopano Bus Service is preferred for dependable and reliable offerings to its customers. Busses adhere to timetables giving passengers senses of certainty that a bus will arrive at a particular destination on time and at regular intervals. Scheduled operations are continuously monitored and maintained while intervention measures are on hand.

Affordability

The entity’s prizing models ensures sustainably without compromising its values which include quality and respect, safety, reliability, integrity and respect.

 Coupon system offers passengers discounts on trips while passengers using cash also find their rides affordable and comfortable.

Inclusiveness

Kopano Bus Service continue to maintain a good and healthy relationships with its internal and external stakeholders, passenger forums, traditional leaders, communities, suppliers and organised labour unions and employees as crucial stakeholders. This type of inclusiveness gives the company a preferred entity status in areas where it operates.

Open door policy

Inside Kopano Bus Service, the Organisational culture allows every employee to be part of the family with open door policy at his or her advantages. And every worker’s voice matters.

For the wellbeing of its workers the company has employee wellness programmes, training, staff rotations and further learning opportunities in place. This goes well for skills and expertise retention and gives the company a competitive advantage.

Quick Response and pace setter

Once a matter that seek urgent attention has been detected or reported, appropriate systems are immediately activated to respond and intervene accordingly.

The company strives to be the first mover and pace setter thus becomes a winner and builds its image as a good choice for employees, customers and suppliers.

Accolades

The assemblage of accolades including awards, trophies and certificates which increasingly become iconic is another competitive edge as everyone wants to associate with the winner.

Women empowerment and social responsibility programs

The Executive Director Ms. Olivia Maponya being the first, the youngest and the only female in the ten-member director makes sure the company does not disappoint on giving women and young people opportunities.

Kopano Bus Service has already embarked on a process to have 200 young women from the remote rural areas of Limpopo Province get training on bus driving as well as transportation of hazardous goods and defensive driving. The aim is to make these young ladies employable and ready for the job market beyond Kopano Bus Service.

Corporate social investment

Kopano Bus Service does not shy away from its corporate social responsibilities to communities where it operates. To demonstrate this commitment, the company has been supporting Schools and centers for the people living with disability in and around it’s area of operations as beneficiary of its corporate social investment (CSI) programmes by making regular donations in different forms.

Recently the company embarked on a campaign to collect sanitary towels and distributed them among disadvantaged schoolgirls mainly in its areas of operation in the Lepelle Nkumpi and Polokwane Municipalities within Capricorn district municipality

Strategic Focus

Kopano Bus Service Strategic Focus is on PEOPLE, SUSTAINABILITY, INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY in line with United Nations Sustainable Development goals.

Olivia Maponya is the Shareholder and the Executive Director of Kopano Bus Service and Madodi Bus Company based in Limpopo Province. Maponya is currently serving as the Accounting Authority (Board Member) at Transport Education Training Authority for 2020 – 2025 term, Chairperson of the Road Passenger Chamber committee, Treasurer General of the South African National Bus Operators Council (SANSBOC), Provincial Secretary of SANSBOC Limpopo, Maponya is also the Diocesan Treasurer General and member of the FPC at ELCSA.

Olivia Maponya is an accredited and certified member of the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers South Africa (ICBSA) and the member of the Institute of Directors Southern Africa (IoDSA)

Maponya also served as HR consultant at Gateway Airport Authority Limited, Admin Officer at the Department of Transport and Teacher at Lekota Senior Secondary School.

In 2019, Maponya received an award from PMR.Africa under the category “Outstanding service and contribution to the economic growth and development of the Limpopo Province by business persons and in 2020 an award for IEDP TOP Action Learning Project by Gordon Institute Business Science (GIBS)

Under Maponya’s leadership, Kopano Bus Service has over the years being receiving awards and recognitions since 2005 consecutively to date, with the most recent awards received from PMR.Africa “awarded for 1st overall Diamond Arrow Awards under the following three categories

1) Companies/Institutions Doing Most to Empower Women,

2) Best Local Transport Companies,

3) Companies/Institutions held in high esteem as good corporate citizens based on their Corporate Responsibility and Initiatives”

Furthermore, Kopano Bus Service received The Standard Bank “TOP WOMEN” award in August 2022, an international recognition for excellence “THE WINNER” awarded by International Business Institute (IBI) in August 2022 at Paris, France.

And the following Awards are lined up to be received as follows:

1) Top Of Business Award by IBI in Dubai, UAE on the 28 November 2022

2) Nominated for the European Quality Award coupled with Queen Platinum Jubilee scheduled for the 20 December 2022 by Oxford Award Agency Limited in United Kingdom.

1. Educational Background

• Post Graduate Diploma (PGDip) – GIBS (Current, transiting to MBA)
• International Leadership Development Program (ILDP) – GIBS (Current)
• International Executive Development program (IEDP) - GIBS
• B-TECH Degree in Transport Management - (UJ)
• Road Transport Management Diploma - (UJ)
• Bookkeeping Diploma - (ICBSA)
• Human resource Management Diploma- (UNISA)
• Skill Development Facilitation Certificate – (CCI)
• Senior Teachers Diploma – (Bochum College of Education)