Commuter services
For routes, stops, times and fares, call head office on +27 31 910 9100.
Moving people. Building places.
Since 1939
Dass Group is a family business with its head office in Isipingo, Durban. It has two divisions: South Coast Bus Service and Dass Property.
South Coast Bus Service
Commuter services and special hire
Daily commuter services, and buses to hire for groups and occasions.
Dass Property
Land, buildings and space to let
Vacant and industrial land, warehousing, commercial buildings, shops and student accommodation.
South Coast Bus Service
Commuter services and special hire
We carry daily commuters, and we hire out buses for groups and occasions. On every trip we aim for three things: safe, on time and well kept.
Special hire
Hire a bus for events, churches, burial societies, schools and corporates. We work on quotes, so tell us the date, where you are going and how many people are travelling.
Dass Property
Land, buildings and space to let
We offer vacant land, light industrial land, residential land, warehousing, commercial buildings, retail shops and student accommodation. Rental is on request.
Looking for a distribution-centre site near the Durban port, a shop for a quick-service restaurant or mini-market, or space for a client? Talk to us.
Email property@dassgroup.co.za
Land and development
Vacant, light industrial and residential land, including sites near the Durban port.
Warehousing and commercial
Warehousing and commercial buildings to let.
Retail
Shops for tenants such as quick-service restaurants and mini-markets.
Student accommodation
Ask us about current availability.
Current properties and availability: email property@dassgroup.co.za. Rental on request.
Our story
Pioneering since 1939
In September 1939 Sivalinga Dass started a bus service for the people of Lamontville with one second-hand Dodge bus. He was its driver, conductor, mechanic and handyman.
From a banana farm to a bus company
Sivalinga Dass was born on 7 September 1911, the third of six children of Narasimma Dass, an indentured labourer. The family lived in a small wood and iron house on a leased farm in Springfield.
Money was short, so he left school after Standard Five. At 14 he was working in a tea room, and later in Durban hotels, often walking 20 kilometres to work. In 1928 he joined his father on the family's banana farm in New Germany.
He moved into transport with a second-hand truck that carried his vegetables and was hired out to others. His brother and friends persuaded him to buy a second-hand bus. That bus became the Lamontville Omnibus Service, and the business grew into the S Dass Group of Companies, including the South Coast Bus Service and Intertown Passenger Services.
“I remember with fondness when African families in Lamontville brought me hot tea and biscuits. The warmth and friendship of the people to whom I owe the success of my business will be ever remembered.”
Firsts on the road
Newspaper reports and a printed profile of Sivalinga Dass record that he:
- was the first bus operator in Durban to employ African drivers, and trained them himself
- introduced one-man crew buses
- was the first to run buses with under-floor engines
- built his routes without a government or municipal subsidy, starting services where other operators would not and turning early losses into profit
Timeline
- 1911Sivalinga Dass is born on 7 September.
- 1928He joins his father on the family's banana farm in New Germany.
- 1939He marries Visvodhamma Naidu in June. In September he starts the Lamontville Omnibus Service.
- 1940sDuring the Second World War fuel is rationed, and he cuts fares from 3d to 2d.
- 1982He retires as chairman at 71. His son Pickey becomes chairman, and joint managing director with his brother Kuben.
- 2011The Sunday Tribune reports a group with more than 100 vehicles, properties and a paper products company.
- TodayDass Group runs South Coast Bus Service and Dass Property from its head office in Isipingo.
Giving back
Close to the communities he served
- He set up the S Dass Charitable Trust to give African children a better education.
- When he retired in 1982, he shared R20 000 of his profits with his employees, and gave his family's retirement gift of R20 000 towards a library in Umlazi.
- He sponsored Telugu scholars, and was vice-chairman of the Andhra Maha Sabha of South Africa and of the Indian Bus Owners Association.
- The S Dass School for the mentally and physically disabled was started in his memory, to help learners become more self-sufficient and learn trades.
Today we remain rooted in the South Durban communities we serve.
The next generation
His son Pickey Dass started in the family business at 17, as a petrol attendant and spares assistant, and went on to become the group's CEO. Speaking to the Sunday Tribune in 2011, he remembered his father's example.
“He would clean the sewer with his workers, and carried a wheelbarrow and spade to repair potholes on roads his buses travelled on.”
“There is no short cut to success. You must climb the hill to get to the top. Always earn the trust and respect of those you encounter day to day.”
Contact
Get in touch
South Coast Bus Service
For hire quotes and route times, contact head office.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do you publish property prices?
No. Rental is on request. Email property@dassgroup.co.za and tell us what kind of property you need.
How do I hire a bus?
Hire works on quotes. Email reception@dassgroup.co.za with the date, pick-up point, destination and number of passengers, and ask for a quote.
Where can I find bus routes and times?
Call head office on +27 31 910 9100 for routes, times and fares.