Poor Service Experience on Eagle Liner Bus Matatiele to Pretoria, 14 September 2024

Dear Eagle Liner Management,

I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding the incredibly disappointing experience I had as a first-time customer on your bus service from Matatiele to Pretoria on Saturday, 14 September 2024.

Upon receiving an SMS informing me that the bus would depart at 16:45 instead of the scheduled time of 17:00, I made it a point to arrive at the bus stop early to ensure I would not miss it. Unfortunately, despite the message, the bus only arrived at 17:00 and did not depart until 18:00, causing significant delays.

As the journey progressed, the bus encountered mechanical problems. The driver had to make an unscheduled stop in Richmond Town to inspect the issue, given the dangerous conditions caused by the darkness. We then stopped at a petrol station, where the driver reported the problem and requested a replacement bus while we slowly continued towards Pietermaritzburg city center.

Upon our arrival in Pietermaritzburg at 23:30, instead of receiving a replacement bus, a mechanic arrived to inspect the bus. Unfortunately, the mechanic was noticeably under the influence of alcohol and took over an hour to assess the situation, only to confirm what the driver had originally advised: the bus was not fit to continue, and a replacement was necessary.

It wasn’t until 06:45—after a grueling six-hour wait—that a new bus was finally provided. The replacement bus was in a deplorable condition, lacking adequate air conditioning and performing poorly in terms of power, making the remainder of the trip highly uncomfortable. Throughout this entire ordeal, there was no communication or apology from your company or management, leaving us feeling ignored and disrespected.

While I commend the driver, Mr. Lizo, for his professionalism and efforts to keep the passengers calm during the extended delay, I must express my extreme dissatisfaction with Eagle Liner’s handling of this situation. I found the entire experience unsafe, poorly managed, and reflective of a lack of respect for your customers’ time and well-being. It was certainly not the service I expected, and I would never recommend your company to anyone who values safety and reliability.

I urge you to address these concerns seriously and provide some form of explanation or redress for this unacceptable experience. Your company's failure to take swift action and maintain basic service standards has left a deeply negative impression.

I look forward to your prompt response and hope that steps will be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.