Author: Debra Sauer

The majority of GO GEORGE passengers say the bus service is making their daily lives easier, safer, and more affordable. The latest annual passenger satisfaction survey shows an impressive 90% overall satisfaction rating, confirming the bus service’s central role in connecting people to work, education, healthcare, and socio-economic opportunities.

Strong performance across key service areas
The 2025 Macro-, Transport-, Socio-Economic Study (MTSES), conducted among nearly 4 000 passengers, highlights consistently high satisfaction with the reliability, safety, accessibility, and professionalism of the service. Interviews were conducted at 322 bus stops over a four week period in October and November 2025. The number of participants (the survey sample) constitutes 31,5% of the individual users based on the average number of weekly bus users with most people doing two trips per day.

Passengers reported exceptionally high satisfaction in several areas, including:
• Drivers adhering to traffic rules (99%)
• Smart Card kiosk staff being knowledgeable and helpful (99%)
• Courtesy and support from route controllers and superintendents (97%)
• Accessibility for passengers with disabilities at bus stops (97%)
• Reliability of the service (97%)
• Skilled, responsible driving (96%)
• Sidewalk accessibility to bus stops for people with disabilities (94%)
• Friendly, courteous and helpful drivers (93%)
• Safety and security on board (91%)
• On board accessibility for persons with disabilities (90%)
• Affordability (90%)
Accessibility emerged as a key theme, with 97% of passengers saying GO GEORGE makes a positive contribution to their community. The vast majority of respondents (97%) indicated that GO GEORGE is reliable, reflecting a high level of trust in the consistency and dependability of the service.

Interesting demographics
The study shows a predominantly working age passenger base, with 66% between 25 and 45 years old and 72% being women. Employment among passengers aged 25–35 increased by 12% compared to 2024, underscoring the link between mobility and economic opportunity.

Voices from leadership
Western Cape Minister of Mobility, Isaac Sileku, welcomes the findings, saying they reflect the kind of public transport service that residents deserve. “To every resident who chooses GO GEORGE, thank you for placing your trust in this service. We know how important your daily journey is, whether you’re travelling to work, school, healthcare or other opportunities. Every time you step onto one of our buses, you should experience a service that is safe, reliable and treats everyone with dignity. That is what every GO GEORGE driver, operational team member and support staff member works hard to deliver every single day.”

GO GEORGE Manager, Morné Lakay, says the results reflect a system that listens and adapts. “This survey gives us a clear picture of how passengers experience the service every day. The high scores for reliability, safety and staff professionalism show that our investment in training and operations is paying off.

“It is particularly encouraging that 90% of passengers perceive the current fare per trip as affordable. That is what our service is all about – keeping fares affordable, enabling also those with low income to use the bus service. If you look at the annual tariff increase for GO GEORGE on 1 July, you’ll notice it was smaller than last year’s, despite the record high fuel prices worldwide,” Lakay said.

George Executive Mayor, Alderman Browen Johnson, highlights the value for residents. “Affordability remains one of the greatest benefits of GO GEORGE. This service ensures that people can reach opportunities without transport being a barrier. These findings underscore the important role of GO GEORGE as a network that links communities to opportunities and supports socio-economic integration. We are proud of the positive impact it has on households and the local economy.”

George Municipality continues with an extensive clean-up operation following severe storm winds and rainfall in May, that caused widespread damage across the municipal area. Since the disaster, municipal teams have focused on emergency response measures, including reopening roads, restoring access to communities, removing hazardous trees and protecting critical infrastructure. While substantial progress has been made, the scale of the damage means that clean-up operations will continue for the next two to three months, subject to weather conditions and the availability of specialised equipment.

The storms resulted in the loss of an estimated 1 000 trees across the greater George area, including George, Wilderness, Hoekwil, Kleinkrantz, Uniondale, Haarlem and surrounding communities. In addition, municipal infrastructure such as roads, sidewalks, parks and public open spaces sustained damage worth millions of rands. To date our municipal  teams have removed approximately 2 230 tonnes of storm debris, with an estimated 3 000 tonnes still to be cleared from public spaces. Parks and Recreation officials, supported by other municipal departments and contractors, have been working daily, including weekends, to restore affected areas and improve public safety.

Residents are reminded that the removal of large trees is a specialised and time-consuming process. Depending on the size, location and associated risks, a single tree can take up to two full working days to remove safely, particularly where cranes, chainsaw teams, traffic management or other specialised equipment are required. Work is therefore prioritised according to public safety risks and operational needs.

The Municipality requests residents not to repeatedly report the same fallen trees or storm debris for removal. All incidents reported to the Municipality are logged and allocated for action. Duplicate reports place unnecessary pressure on municipal systems and may slow down the overall response.

Public access to municipal woodchippers has largely concluded as these resources are now fully required for the municipal clean-up operation. Residents are also urged not to dump garden refuse or storm debris in areas that have already been cleared, as this creates additional challenges.

George Municipality is aware of natural debris that has accumulated on some beaches following the storms. Residents are reminded that coastal debris forms part of sensitive ecosystems and its removal is regulated by environmental legislation. Conditions will continue to be monitored and, where legally permissible and necessary, appropriate interventions will be undertaken, particularly ahead of the festive season.

George Municipality also encourages residents to follow approved tree-planting guidelines when planting on municipal property. Several trees planted in road reserves and sidewalks have over time caused damage to municipal infrastructure and, during the recent storms, some posed significant safety risks. Residents are encouraged to consult the Municipality before planting trees on municipal property and phone 044 8022900. A list of tree species recommended for the George, Uniondale and Haarlem: https://www.george.gov.za/george-document/gm-recommended-tree-list-for-george-uniondale-and-haarlem/

George Municipality thanks residents for their continued patience, understanding and cooperation during this recovery period. Municipal teams remain committed to restoring public spaces and infrastructure as quickly and safely as possible following one of the most significant storm events experienced in recent years.

Photos: Photographs of our cleaning crews from Community Services hard at work cleaning, chopping, clearing debris, trees and branches after the recent storms. Other departments in the George Municipality and contractors also assisted in the clearing work.

Some of the dedicated George Municipality officials who proudly represented the Municipality at previous municipal sports events and especially the Better Together Games are showcased in these photographs. Most officials are still with the Municipality, but some have left the employ of the organisation.
The tradition continues as George Municipality teams prepare to participate in the Better Together Games, taking place in Oudtshoorn on 11 September 2026.
The Better Together Games bring together municipal employees from across the region through sport, promoting teamwork, wellness, camaraderie and positive intergovernmental relations. The event provides an opportunity for officials to build connections beyond the workplace while proudly representing their municipalities in various sporting codes.
We wish all our participating teams every success as they continue this proud tradition of municipal sport and teamwork.

Above are officials from the George Municipality Internal Audit team and staff from Nelson Mandela University.

In January 2026, the Internal Audit department launched a year-long awareness campaign with monthly themes, with the main focus on activities during the month of May. And in celebration of International Internal Audit Awareness Month, the Internal Audit Unit of George Municipality has embarked on an innovative outreach campaign aimed at promoting the internal audit profession and inspiring future professionals at both tertiary and school level.

Driven by a vision to become a leading municipal internal audit unit in the Garden Route—and ultimately across South Africa—the team used the month of May to actively engage with students through interactive and educational awareness initiatives designed to make the profession more accessible, relatable, and impactful.

As part of the campaign, the Internal Audit team visited accounting students at Nelson Mandela University on 20 May 2026 during the Department of Accounting’s Career Day. The engagement focused on creating awareness around internal auditing as a dynamic and value-adding profession, while also providing students with practical insights into the working world of governance, risk management, and assurance.

The outreach programme continued on 22 May 2026 with a visit to Thembalethu High School, where Grade 11 learners were introduced to internal auditing as a meaningful and sustainable career path. Through age-appropriate, interactive, and engaging activities, the team aims to create early awareness of the profession and encourage learners to pursue careers in accounting, auditing, and governance.

“This initiative was a teaching and learning opportunity for both the students and ourselves. We wanted to share real-world experiences, outline industry expectations, and demonstrate the positive impact internal auditors can make within organisations and communities,” said Zimasa Bulo (Senior Internal Auditor).

Topics covered during the university engagement included:
• The importance and impact of internal auditing within organisations
• The definition, purpose, and scope of internal auditing
• Fundamental concepts such as risk management, governance, and internal controls
• Career opportunities and professional pathways within internal auditing
• Opportunities available through the Institute of Internal Auditors South Africa Siyakhula Student Membership programme
The awareness campaign also showcased the Internal Audit Unit’s commitment to creativity and innovation in public sector engagement. Rather than relying solely on formal presentations, the team incorporated interactive discussions, practical examples, and audience participation to create a more memorable and meaningful learning experience.

Reacting to the George Municipality visit, Mr Ewayne Le Roux, Accounting Lecturer at Nelson Mandela University and member of the George Municipality Audit Committee commented:
“The Internal Audit team from George Municipality brought valuable and practical insights on the role of internal auditing in the public sector. Students gained insight into the professional pathways into the internal audit profession, as well as the important contribution internal auditors make in strengthening accountability, governance, risk management and operational efficiency.”

The campaign not only strengthened awareness of the profession but also highlighted the important role municipalities can play in educational development and community engagement. By reaching both university students and high school learners, the Internal Audit Unit demonstrated its commitment to developing future talent pipelines and building greater understanding of the profession across different educational levels.

“The key message we wanted learners and students to take away is that internal auditing is more than compliance—it is about critical thinking, problem-solving, integrity, and creating meaningful change within organisations,” Mr JP Rossouw (Chief Audit Executive) added.

The engagements were well received and generated positive interaction and participation from attendees, reflecting the value of practical industry exposure and professional representation. The Internal Audit Unit believes that initiatives such as these contribute meaningfully towards building awareness, inspiring future professionals, and positioning internal auditing as a modern, relevant, and impactful profession.

Officials from the George Municipality Internal Audit team.

Nelson Mandela University students listening to a presentation from the George Municipality Interal Audit team.

Kloper Mabunda from Internal Audit, presenting at Nelson Mandela University.

Zimasa Bulo, Senior Internal Auditor, addressing the students at Nelson Mandela University.

JP Rossouw,Chief Audit Executive, present to the students at Nelson Mandela University.