GO GEORGE: First route to Thembalethu rolling next weekend
In a joint statement released today, the Western Cape Government and George Municipality announced that the first route of the GO GEORGE bus service to Thembalethu will roll out on Sunday 5 November 2023.
It was decided to start out with one route, Route 18A from Thembalethu to Blanco. More routes will continually be rolled out until all the planned Thembalethu routes have been activated, responsibly introducing buses into the congestion at the roadworks on the N2/Thembalethu bridge.
According to George Executive Mayor, Alderman Leon van Wyk, the current roll-out plan was well-thought-out to cause minimum disruption while at last bringing the desired bus service to this area. “We owe the people of Thembalethu this safe and reliable service which will also save them a lot of transport money. We’ll do everything in our power to make a success of this roll-out so that the rest of the routes can follow soon thereafter,” he said.
Western Cape Minister of Mobility, MEC Ricardo Mackenzie expressed his whole-hearted support for the roll-out. “I am delighted that we have now come this far and want to thank all role-players and community leaders for their cooperation and support to make this dream come true. It was long overdue,” he said.
Thembalethu Smart Card kiosk open for business
A fixed Smart Card kiosk next to Truns in Nelson Mandela Boulevard will open for business on Monday 30 October. Two mobile Smart Card kiosks will be parked at Fourways and the Jonga circle, providing the same services.
Prospective passengers are encouraged to purchase their Smart Cards and load trips in time for roll-out. Communication champions will be available at the same locations to answer questions and guide passengers regarding the service in Thembalethu.
A special section about the Thembalethu service can be found on the home page of the website, www.gogeorge.org.za. Anyone who would like more information on the Thembalethu service can call the GO GEORGE Call Centre on 0800 044 044 from 05:00 until 20:00, seven days a week.