Author: Debra Sauer

In the photo above, Mayor Jackie von Brandis with stakeholders at the handing over of the Buffalo tanks in Wilderness

The George Municipality has handed over a total of 18 new Buffalo Tank flush toilets to residents in the informal settlements of Syferfontein and Wilderness Heights. This marks another milestone in the Municipality’s ongoing efforts to improve sanitation and hygiene in these communities.

The initiative is part of a phased rollout, with Syferfontein piloting 55 toilets (20 completed in the 2024–2025 financial year and 35 scheduled for completion this budget year) and Wilderness Heights piloting 32 toilets (27 completed in 2024–2025 and the remaining 5 completed this budget year). Last week, 13 toilets were handed over in Syferfontein and 5 in Wilderness Heights.
Mayor Jackie von Brandis, it is important that we give dignity with services and that is what is happening today with the handover of the Buffalo Tanks. “I spoke to Aunt Hanna earlier and she said the toilet made such a huge difference in their lives,” Mayor Von Brandis said.
She said these projects makes a real difference to people’s daily lives and that is what we want in George. Von Brandis asked everyone to look after their toilets.

According to Simnikiwe Mbekushe, Deputy Director: Integrated Human Settlements, residents have expressed their satisfaction with the new sanitation facilities, noting that the flush toilets offer a more hygienic solution compared to the chemical toilets previously in use. The new Buffalo Tank flush toilets reduce human contact with waste, minimise odours and flies, and promote proper hygiene through accessible handwashing taps. These improvements are especially beneficial for women, children, the elderly, and disabled community members, who now have safer, easier access to sanitation. Special units with handrails were provided for disabled beneficiaries, while elderly households were consulted on the best placement of shared toilets.

Mbekushe said no challenges were encountered during installation, and the project aligns with the Municipality’s broader sanitation and infrastructure plans. By introducing these units, the Municipality has been able to reduce the use of chemical toilets in the wards by 65%, creating a cleaner and safer environment for residents.

Mbekushe said with the handover of one of the units on the premises of Elizabeth Brown (83), she is one of the elderly in the area and it was agreed that the toilet was installed on her premises for convenience.
Cllr Marlene Barnardt, Ward Councillor for Ward 4, said Oom Koos and aunt Hanna were one of the first elderly couples that received a toilet in the pilot project. They are very happy with this development and it is excellent that this pilot became a fully-fledged project. Barnardt thanked all involved for excellent work done.

Cllr Jean Safers, MMC for Human Settlements, said “we as George Municipality are accelerating the roll-out of toilets in the informal settlements to give our people dignity with services. He said with regards to Mrs Brown, she is one of the oldest people in the Wilderness Heights settlement and they aim to make life a little bit easier by putting the toilet in her yard.
Community members are urged to protect and maintain the new toilets, which are shared among five households per unit, with each household provided a key. Residents are encouraged to ensure that the toilets are used only by those allocated, in line with national water and sanitation norms and standards.

George Municipality has successfully delivered improved sanitation services to informal settlements in Ward 21, with a total of 67 toilets handed over to residents during the 2024/2025 financial year. The most recent handover took place in July 2025 in Bhekela informal settlement in Thembalethu, where 19 waterborne Buffalo Tank flush toilets were officially handed over.
Looking ahead, the Municipality plans to expand this sanitation intervention to other informal settlements as funding becomes available, ensuring more residents can benefit from improved hygiene and safety.

Cllr Jean Safers, MMC for Human Settlements and Mayor Jackie von Brandis with officials and beneficiaries of Buffalo Tank toilets in Syferfontein.

Mayor Jackie von Brandis at the handover in Wilderness Heights with oom Koos en Johanna Frans in the background, also living in the Wilderness Heights Informal Settlement.

Mayor Jackie von Brandis testing out the toilet and handing over the key to Elizabeth Brown.

In the photo above, the Western Cape Minister of Mobility, Isaac Sileku (in the white shirt, on bicycle), enjoyed participating in a lively educational event at the Municipality’s Junior Traffic Training and Road Safety Centre on Monday. Far left is Morné Lakay, GO GEORGE Manager, in the middle left of mascot Georgie is George Traffic Chief, Janine Wells with George Councillor Brendon Adams on her right, and third from right, Edwin Felix, Senior Traffic Officer with staff and children from Splash Kids Zone, as well as GO GEORGE and Traffic staff.

GO GEORGE has a dynamic line-up of activities planned for October to celebrate National Transport Month and spotlight the many facets of its bus service.

Throughout the month, a branded GO GEORGE gazebo will rotate between key bus terminals: the Garden Route Mall, the Blanco triangle, Market Street in the CBD, and the Smart Card Kiosk next to Truns in Thembalethu. Here, communication champions and the GO GEORGE community liaison officer will engage directly with passengers – both at the terminals and onboard buses – to promote the various digital tools available for trip planning and service information, and to educate passengers in the use thereof. These include QR code scanning and website-based route planners such as the interactive stop explorer and timetables. The general functionalities of the GO GEORGE chatbot which is set to be introduced during Transport Month will also be explained.

Educational outreaches
Youth-focused outreaches will feature the beloved GO GEORGE mascot, Georgie, and centre on passenger rules, and pedestrian and road safety around buses and bus stops. In addition to planned primary school visits, the GO GEORGE communications team has already participated in a lively educational event at the Municipality’s Junior Traffic Training and Road Safety Centre – always a hit with young learners and an effective platform for reinforcing safety messages.
With learner ridership up by 8% over the past year, GO GEORGE is also reaching out to the newly elected Junior Town Council. These young leaders will be treated to a guided tour of the George Link bus depot and a hands-on bus ride experience, showcasing the environmental and community benefits of public transport.

Supporting senior passengers
Older passengers remain a key priority for GO GEORGE. As the service continues to innovate digitally, it is committed to ensuring that senior users are not left behind. Outreach visits to old-age homes will include demonstrations and hands-on opportunities to explore new digital tools, helping to reduce anxiety and build confidence in using these resources.
For more information about the bus service or support with trip planning, GO GEORGE can be contacted by phoning the Call Centre on 0800 044 044 or sending an email to info@gogeorge.org.za. Alternatively, visit the website www.gogeorge.org.za or the GO GEORGE Facebook page.

The GO GEORGE mascot Georgie and the Traffic Department’s Danny Cat entertained a group of children from the Splash Kids Zone After-Care Centre at the George Municipality’s Junior Traffic Training and Road Safety Centre on Monday. They were surprised by a visit from the Western Cape Minister of Mobility, Isaac Sileku (in the white shirt), who cycled and danced along with the youngsters, handing out GO GEORGE prizes to those who could correctly answer questions about the bus service.

The GO GEORGE mascot Georgie and the Traffic Department’s Danny Cat entertained a group of children from the Splash Kids Zone After-Care Centre at the George Municipality’s Junior Traffic Training and Road Safety Centre on Monday. They were surprised by a visit from the Western Cape Minister of Mobility, Isaac Sileku (in the white shirt), who cycled and danced along with the youngsters, handing out GO GEORGE prizes to those who could correctly answer questions about the bus service.

The GO GEORGE mascot Georgie and the Traffic Department’s Danny Cat entertained a group of children from the Splash Kids Zone After-Care Centre at the George Municipality’s Junior Traffic Training and Road Safety Centre on Monday. They were surprised by a visit from the Western Cape Minister of Mobility, Isaac Sileku (in the white shirt), who cycled and danced along with the youngsters, handing out GO GEORGE prizes to those who could correctly answer questions about the bus service.

Road Safety mascot Danny Cat won this year’s dancing competition against his colleague Georgie, the GO GEORGE mascot.

At the LGBTQIA+ summit in George are from left,Social Workers, Megan Wolhuter and Siyanda Mtshotana from the Department of Social Development and Khanyisile Fortuin form George Municipality Community Development LGBTQIA+ helpdesk.

George Municipality hosted its second annual LGBTQIA+ Summit, a full-day event that brought together civil society, government departments, and community members to reflect on progress and challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community.
The programme featured keynote addresses from a trans activist and government officials, followed by breakout sessions focused on gender-affirming healthcare access, legal gender recognition, and gender-based violence and safety. Delegates reported back on their discussions before taking part in a plenary session with government stakeholders and civil society partners. The summit ended with the collaborative drafting of a feedback statement, “How Far Are We?”, which was presented at the George Pride Imbizo on Saturday. Dr Juliana van Jaarsveld, Clinical Manager, Mosel Bay Sub District, Department of Health gave a progress report on identifying community needs, acceptable patient care through inclusivity and destigmatisation as well as training being done in the form of gender affirming workshops and more.
Executive Mayor Ald Jackie von Brandis highlighted that the summit grew from the Municipality’s LGBTQIA+ Help Desk, created to provide a platform for dialogue and solutions to community challenges. “Pararades and celebrations have its place, but it is important that we move beyond to tackle the issues impacting daily lives. This summit is about finding solutions together,” said Von Brandis. She thanked Kanyisile Fortuin from George Municipality’s Community Development section for her commitment to driving this work.
Fortuin added that the summit brought together the departments of Health, Home Affairs, Social Development, Education, SAPS, Gender Dynamics, Legally Youth, and other key partners to address pressing issues. In the public health sector trans people are on waiting lists of up to 25–30 years for gender-affirming surgeries. Fortuin said up until now there is a need for the department of Home Affairs to address delays of up to three years for gender marker and name changes, which prevent many from travelling, accessing services, or fully participating in society.
The summit focused on breaking down systemic barriers, improving access to healthcare and legal recognition, and ensuring that every resident can live with dignity and authenticity, Fortuin said.
Cllr Melvin Roelofse, MMC for Community Development, Libraries, Sport and Customer Services, closed the event, encouraging participants to continue working together.

Photos:

Ndivhuho Jasmine Malimagovha, trans-activisit and local student addresses the summit on Friday at George Civic Centre Banquet Hall.

Leah Claasen from Gender Dynamics addresses the summit.

Mayor Jackie von Brandis at the summit.