Author: Ntobeko Mangqwengqwe

Ald Leon van Wyk, Executive Mayor of George

The municipality has recently communicated about the progress we have been making to erect 30 high mast lights in various areas across George. These lights will address inadequate lighting in high-density areas where there are high risks associated with safety at night as well as possible criminal activity that occurs under cover of darkness.

Installations are taking place in Thembalethu where 18 lights are being erected with Parkdene receiving five, Lawaaikamp four and Borcherds three. The lights are designed to each provide lighting covering a radius of 50-60 metres that will result in an area of roughly one hectare being covered by each light. A combination of grant and municipal funding amounting to R19 million is being utilised.

This lighting will provide additional safety for our citizens, some of whom live in informal settlements in these areas. Many of our informal dwellings do not have access to electricity. Often electrical connections are made illegally which are dangerous and unsafe. During periods of loadshedding, personal safety and security risks increase dramatically for these vulnerable citizens. Under cover of darkness, incidents of cable theft also increase.

The municipality has been undertaking projects to provide electricity to informal settlements in terms of priority criteria approved by the Council within budget constraints. This is a costly exercise that includes the installation of pre-paid meters. A pilot project is being undertaken to explore the use of solar PV panels to provide power to small clusters of dwellings. If this is successful, it will enable a more rapid roll-out.

It is expected that additional high mast lights will be erected shortly in other areas as part of a corporate social responsibility project. In some areas, criminal elements regularly embark on vandalism of street lighting and damage to electrical kiosks which go unreported. It is critical that our citizens take ownership of the efforts to improve services and collectively work together towards combatting and reporting incidents of illegal dumping, cable theft, and protecting essential infrastructure against theft and vandalism for the greater good of the community. Churches, schools and other community groups could all assist in these efforts.

The recent stormy weather has kept many of our municipal staff very busy in clearing, cleaning and maintenance operations as a result of damage caused by high winds and the heavy rains. In addition, there have been vehicle accidents and damage caused to infrastructure by contractors. There have been power outages caused by more than 100 trees falling on powerlines in forested areas. This clearing and repair operation in the Witfontein area was no doubt difficult and dangerous. We thank and applaud the work of the disaster, technical, community safety, cleaning and repair teams as they have quickly restored services.

GO GEORGE Smart Card top-up vendors all over town and in residential areas are clearly marked with branded signage.

Buy before tariff increase and save
Buying bulk is the smart choice when you top up your Smart Card with bus trips – it’s much cheaper and also more convenient. Top up before you have completely run out of trips, and do so when you’re not in a rush to get to work or school.

This is the core message conveyed by GO GEORGE in the period running up to the annual tariff increase this weekend, on Saturday 1 July 2023.

Cheaper the more you buy
From 1 July, Smart Card trips bought in bundles of 10 or more will cost R11.90 per trip and remain the best buy. Bundles of two to eight trips will cost R13.20 per trip, and single trips will cost R16. A passenger who uses the bus five days per week could save up to R180 per month by buying bundles of 10 trips and more, instead of loading one trip at a time.

Buy before tariff increase and save
Trips on the Smart Card never expire, so there is no risk of losing trips, even if you don’t travel regularly. For the same reason, it is a smart move to load more trips before the tariff increase kicks in, but passengers are advised to treat their Smart Cards as cautiously as they would treat cash, since trips on a lost or stolen card cannot be refunded.

Top up in time
Passengers are advised not to wait until they have no trips left, and to always keep at least two emergency trips on their Smart Cards. Having to top up on your way to work or school could be frustrating when the queues are long, or when vendors experience connectivity issues due to loadshedding. It would be better to top up outside of peak times, and at a time when you’re in no rush to be somewhere on time.

You can top up at any of the Smart Card kiosks and mobile kiosks, as well as 105 top-up vendors all over town. Look out for the GO GEORGE vendor signage, “TOP UP YOUR SMART CARD HERE”, or for a detailed list of all top-up vendors, visit the GO GEORGE website at www.gogeorge.org.za. Alternatively, phone the Call Centre on 0800 044 044 where agents are on duty from 05:00 until 20:00, seven days a week. Enquiries can also be e-mailed to info@gogeorge.org.za.

Multirit-aankope op Slimkaart baie goedkoper

Koop voor tariefverhoging en spaar
Om grootmaat te koop, is die slim keuse as jy jou Slimkaart met busritte aanvul – dit is baie goedkoper én boonop geriefliker. Herlaai voordat jy geen ritte oor het nie, en doen dit wanneer jy nie haastig is om by die werk of skool te kom nie.

Dit is die kernboodskap wat GO GEORGE oordra in die tydperk wat die jaarlikse tariefverhoging op 1 Julie voorafgaan.

Goedkoper hoe meer jy koop
Slimkaartritte wat in bondels van 10 of meer gekoop word, kos vanaf 1 Julie R11.90 per rit en bly die beste koop. Bondels van twee tot agt ritte sal R13.20 per rit kos, en enkelritte R16. ‘n Passasier wat die bus vyf dae per week gebruik, kan tot R180 per maand bespaar deur bondels van 10 ritte en meer te koop, in plaas daarvan om een rit op ‘n slag te laai.

Koop voor tariefverhoging en spaar
Ritte op die Slimkaart verval nooit nie, so daar is geen risiko om ritte te verloor nie, selfs al ry jy nie gereeld bus nie. Om dieselfde rede is dit ‘n slim skuif om meer ritte te laai voordat die tariefverhoging inskop. Passasiers word egter aangeraai om hul Slimkaarte so versigtig soos kontant te hanteer aangesien ritte op ‘n verlore of gesteelde kaart nie terugbetaal kan word nie.

Herlaai betyds
Passasiers word aangeraai om nie te wag totdat hulle geen ritte oor het nie, en om altyd ten minste twee noodritte op hul Slimkaarte te hou. Om op jou pad werk of skool toe te herlaai, kan frustrerend wees wanneer die rye lank is, of wanneer herlaaipunte probleme ondervind weens beurtkrag. Dit sal beter wees om buite spitstye te herlaai op ‘n tyd wanneer jy nie jaag om betyds by jou bestemming te wees nie.

Jy kan by enige van die Slimkaartkiosks en mobiele kiosks ritte koop, asook by 105 herlaaipunte regoor die stad. Wees op die uitkyk vir die “HERLAAI JOU SLIMKAART HIER”-uithangborde, besoek die GO GEORGE-webblad by www.gogeorge.org.za vir ’n volledige lys, of skakel die inbelsentrum by 0800 044 044. Agente is van 05:00 tot 20:00, sewe dae per week aan diens. Navrae kan ook per e-pos gestuur word aan info@gogeorge.org.za.

Herlaaipunte vir Slimkaartritte regoor die stad en in woonbuurte word aangedui met duidelike uithangborde.

Attendees of the Youth Summit that was focusing on economic funding and mentorship opportunities

The Economic Development Division of the George Municipality hosted a two-day Youth Summit on 14 and 15 June 2023 in the Pacaltsdorp Community Hall as part of the commemoration of the Nationally celebrated Youth Month. The focus of the two days was on economic funding and mentorship opportunities that young people can access.

The first day was attended by 17 youth-owned Companies and the second day by 15 youth-owned Companies. Fifty-nine (59) attendees attended on day one and 45 on day two.

According to Dr Kosie Haarhoff, the George Municipality’s Deputy Director for Strategic Growth and Development, the summit was a success. “We are confident that the youth who attended the summit came back armed with a wealth of information for their businesses and will grab the growth opportunities that are out there.”

“Some great news that was shared during the summit is that Youth Stakeholders such as The South African National Roads Agency Limited (SANRAL) and the Landbank of South Africa have set aside targets for youth in their procurement processes,” Dr Haarhoff added.

“We also had an Entrepreneur from the United States of America, Justin Cheesman, who has invested and specialises in start-ups in South Africa. Cheesman shared his experiences with the audience and information to provide support through training and capacity building.

The following Stakeholders shared information with the youth:

1. Garden Route Skills Mecca
2. Africa Skills
3. SANRAL
4. The Landbank of South Africa
5. Department of Agriculture
6. Department of Economic Development and Tourism
7. The Office of the Consumer Protector
8. First National Bank
9. The George Municipality Electro-Technical Department
10. Gabex Enterprises- Energy Company
11. Empower- A NPC who provides opportunities to Youth Companies

The George Municipality would like to take the opportunity to thank all the stakeholders who supported the Youth Summit, and we are grateful for the economic opportunities that our youth can access.

Dr Kosie Haarhoff, Deputy Director for Strategic Growth and Development says the Youth Summit was a success

The Municipality is confident that the youth came back armed with a wealth of information for their businesses