Heritage on the move: Celebrating Putco’s 80-year legacy
Heritage on the move: Celebrating Putco’s 80-year legacy
As South Africa marks Heritage Month this September, Nelly Mkhabela pays tribute to Putco, an iconic company within the field of South African public transport.
Heritage Month is a special time in South Africa. It’s when we pause to honour our past, celebrate our present, and look ahead to a future that is inclusive, united, and strong. This year, Heritage Month carries even more meaning for the bus industry, as Putco – one of the oldest and largest commuter bus companies in South Africa – celebrates 80 years of service.
Eighty years is more than just a milestone. It is the story of a company that has carried generations of workers, students, mothers, fathers, and children. It is a story of resilience, growth, and transformation. It is the story of buses that have become part of our collective memory – painted in the colours of our culture and woven into the fabric of our communities.
A journey through time
Putco, the Public Utility Transport Corporation, was founded in 1945, during a period when reliable transport was scarce for most South Africans. What began as a service for communities excluded from quality transport has grown into the country’s largest commuter bus operator, carrying more than 210,000 passengers daily across Gauteng, Mpumalanga, and Limpopo.
Over the years, Putco has travelled more than 80 million kilometres annually, earning a reputation as the bus company that “moves people with dignity”. Its history includes moments of both struggle and triumph – such as the iconic Alexandra bus boycotts of 1957, when transport became a voice of resistance and unity. These events remind us that buses are not only about mobility, but also about justice, hope, and community.
Carrying more than passengers
For many South Africans, Putco is more than a transport company – it is a symbol of belonging. Its buses have carried young people to schools and universities, workers to factories and offices, and families to places where memories are made.
One of the most striking examples of Putco’s cultural role is its work during the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) pilgrimage to Moria. Every year, thousands of pilgrims rely on Putco buses to travel safely to the holy mountain in Limpopo. In 2025, after a five-year break due to Covid-19, nearly 500 Putco buses were mobilised for this journey. Behind this operation lay not only logistics and planning, but also care and responsibility – ensuring that every passenger arrived safely to worship, reflect, and reconnect with their faith.
This is heritage in action: transport doesn’t just connect us to work and school – it connects us to our traditions, our faith, and our communities.
Modernising while preserving heritage
While Putco honours its past, it is also investing in the future. In recent years, the company launched a bus replacement programme, adding hundreds of modern Mercedes-Benz buses to its fleet. In 2025, Putco celebrated the delivery of its 477th new bus, marking a new era of comfort, safety, and innovation.
Passengers now travel on buses fitted with smart ticketing systems, CCTV for safety, and GPS tracking for efficiency. These upgrades prove that heritage is not about staying in the past, but about evolving while keeping core values intact. Putco’s ability to modernise while preserving its identity is a powerful lesson for the entire transport industry.
Celebrating heritage, championing transformation
At SABOA, we see Putco’s 80 years as more than an anniversary – we see it as a reminder of why the bus industry matters. Buses are heritage on wheels. They are the threads that connect South Africa’s people, places, and possibilities.
But celebrating heritage also means championing transformation. Our industry must continue to empower more women, youth, and SMMEs; collaborate with stakeholders across the transport sector to open doors of opportunity; and build partnerships focused on skills development, safety, and innovation.
Heritage is not static; it grows when we create space for new voices, mentor the next generation, and ensure that tomorrow’s industry is more inclusive than yesterday’s.
A culture of safety
Heritage also means valuing life. For decades, Putco has made passenger safety a priority, especially on long-distance routes and religious pilgrimages. SABOA echoes this commitment – working closely with partners such as the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) to ensure that buses remain among the safest ways to travel.
Road safety must become more than policy – it must become a culture. A culture where every operator, every driver, and every passenger understand that lives come first. A culture where safety, like heritage, is passed down from one generation to the next.
A legacy that carries us forward
As we celebrate Putco’s 80-year milestone, we also celebrate the spirit of heritage in transport. From the iconic blue buses of the 1960s to the smart buses of today, Putco has remained a constant companion in the lives of millions of South Africans.
This Heritage Month, let us pause to honour the pioneers of the past, the workers of the present, and the leaders shaping the future. Let us remember that when a bus drives down the street, it carries more than passengers – it carries the stories, struggles, and dreams of our people.
Eighty years on, Putco is not only part of our heritage. It is part of our hope. As SABOA, we are proud to celebrate this journey, while committing ourselves to building a future where transport continues to unite, empower, and transform South Africa.
Published by
focusmagsa
