With many South Africans facing the difficulty of having to commute every day using public transport or taxis, Honda South Africa and Sondombili Solutions have come up with an innovative plan to make it possible for low-income earners to have their own wheels.
Honda South Africa and Sondombili Solutions (“Sondombili” means “two-wheeler” in isiZulu) on Tuesday introduced the Honda Cub scooter, which is renowned for its low fuel consumption and its reliable design.
Honda and Sondombili have structured an innovative package that will provide commuters with a scooter for R13 695, or just more than R600 per month, plus all the equipment that is necessary to ride a two-wheeler.
The purchase price includes training, helmet, gloves and a rain suit as well as a refundable learner’s licence booking fee. Honda SA will provide service and warranty support through its extensive network of motorcycle dealers.
The group said: “This monthly cost is less than what the average consumer is spending a month to get to work and back — usually in minibus taxis, buses or by rail or a combination of the three — and with the added benefits of door-to-door flexibility, 24-hour convenience, the option of reducing costs by carrying a passenger and the prospects of owning an asset by the end of the 36-month repayment period.”
“By sourcing the acclaimed Honda scooter, which has become something of a legend in its own lifetime, at the best possible price from Honda’s Xindazhou factory in China, we hope to be able to make a significant contribution to the future of mobility of South Africans,” Honda SA MD Hiroaki Shibata said.
“By bringing together a number of partners, this project will enable commuters to get up and running for a minimal cost and has the potential to change the face of commuter travel as we know it,” he added.
Honda scooters are used by millions of people, especially in the Far East, and Honda SA expects the same to happen in South Africa.
The Cub scooter is produced in 15 countries and more than three million are sold per year.
“Our vision is to facilitate and encourage commuter independence in South Africa,” Sondombili Solutions chairperson Andrew Khuzwayo said. — I-Net Bridge