GO GEORGE ROUTE TO UNIONDALE/HAARLEM LAUNCHED
A jubilant team of role-players after cutting the ribbon, officially launching the GO GEORGE bus service between George and Uniondale/Haarlem. From left are Western Cape Minister of Infrastructure Tertuis Simmers, Minister of Mobility Isaac Sileku, Uniondale Cllr Jarques Esau, Premier Alan Winde, George Executive Mayor Browen Johnson, and Mayor of the Garden Route Municipality, Marais Kruger.
The official launch of GO GEORGE’s new Route 20 service between Uniondale, Haarlem and George on Sunday, 1 November 2026, marked the culmination of years of planning, collaboration and community engagement aimed at improving mobility for residents of the region’s rural communities that fall under the George Municipality.
The branded bus for GO GEORGE Route 20 – ready to take the honoured launch guests on a short ride through the Uniondale route.
The route, which commenced operations on Friday, 30 October 2026, provides a scheduled public transport service linking Uniondale, Haarlem and several rural communities along the route with George.
The launch event, held at the Uniondale Community Hall, was attended by Western Cape Premier Alan Winde, Western Cape Minister of Mobility Isaac Sileku, George Executive Mayor Browen Johnson, GO GEORGE Manager Morné Lakay, community leaders and residents.
Guests were welcomed with performances by local riel dancers from the Dirk Boshoff Primary School in Uniondale before proceeding to the nearby bus stop for the ceremonial ribbon-cutting, officially marking the introduction of the service.
The group of agile riel dancers from the Dirk Boshoff Primary School in Uniondale had the dignitaries stumping their feet to the catching rhythm of their moves and music.
Speaking at the event, Premier Alan Winde said expanding public transport to rural communities means expanding economic opportunities. “Building a job creation ecosystem is not done in isolation. It requires investment into things such as public transport which will link up residents with opportunities. This will help ensure that economic growth is inclusive. The launch of GO GEORGE’s new Route 20 service is an important step in improving access to employment, education and essential services for communities in these areas.”
Minister Isaac Sileku said bringing the GO GEORGE bus service to Uniondale and Haarlem means more residents can access affordable and reliable transport to get to work, school, healthcare and other important services. “We want residents in our smaller towns and rural areas to have the same access to public transport and opportunities as everyone else. We have listened to the community, and we will continue working with residents from Uniondale, Haarlem, Avontuur, Noll and the surrounding settlements to make sure this service meets their needs. We encourage everyone to make use of the service and share their feedback.”
George Executive Mayor Browen Johnson said the route represents an important milestone for the municipality. “When we say, ‘listen, act, deliver’, we mean exactly that. The introduction of this bus service is a direct response to the needs and requests expressed by our communities. It is about far more than launching another bus route. It is about bringing services closer to people, expanding access to opportunities, and making daily life a little easier for the residents we serve.
In the two weeks leading up to the launch, GO GEORGE’s communications team spent extensive time in Uniondale, Haarlem and surrounding communities, visiting neighbourhoods, schools, workplaces, farms and villages to share information about the new service. The team engaged directly with residents on how to use a scheduled public transport service, answered questions and gathered valuable feedback, which was relayed to planning and operational teams to assist with final preparations for the route.
GO GEORGE Manager Morné Lakay says the conversations they have had with residents over the past few weeks have demonstrated both the need for and enthusiasm for this service. “We look forward to continued engagement with the communities we serve as we refine and grow Route 20 over time,” Lakay said.
Three of the first Uniondale passengers who disembarked at the George Transport Hub on Friday morning attended the launch event and were surprised with a goodie bag by the Minister of Mobility and George Executive Mayor. From the left are Martin Samuels, Minister Isaac Sileku, Sarah Arendse, Mayor Browen Johnson, and Johannes Arendse.
The first passengers travelled on the service on Friday morning, arriving at the George Transport Hub shortly after 08:00. One passenger remarked that she “couldn’t wait to taste GO GEORGE“, while another said that evening that, on her way home, she became so engrossed in listening to a juicy conversation on the bus that she willingly missed her stop just to hear how it ended. The real sense of camaraderie and community on board the buses is typical of a rural community where people know one another, and are now celebrating together the far more affordable, scheduled and safe public transport service that GO GEORGE provides.
More information about the Uniondale/Haarlem service is available on www.gogeorge.org.za/uniondale, or by phoning GO GEORGE Customer Care on 0800 044 044.
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GO GEORGE-ROETE NA UNIONDALE EN HAARLEM NOU ’N WERKLIKHEID
Die amptelike bekendstelling van GO GEORGE se nuwe Roete 20-diens tussen Uniondale, Haarlem en George op Sondag 1 November 2026 was die hoogtepunt van jare se beplanning, samewerking en gemeenskapsbetrokkenheid wat daarop gemik was om mobiliteit vir inwoners van die streek se landelike gemeenskappe binne die George-munisipaliteit te verbeter.
Die duidelik gemerkte bus vir GO GEORGE Roete 20, gereed om die eregaste van die bekendstelling op ’n kort rit deur die Uniondale-roete te neem.
Die roete, wat op Vrydag 30 Oktober 2026 in werking getree het, bied ’n geskeduleerde openbare vervoerdiens wat Uniondale, Haarlem en verskeie landelike gemeenskappe langs die roete met George verbind.
Die bekendstellingsgeleentheid wat by die Uniondale-gemeenskapsaal gehou is, is bygewoon deur die Wes-Kaapse premier Alan Winde, die Wes-Kaapse minister van mobiliteit Isaac Sileku, George se uitvoerende burgemeester Browen Johnson, GO GEORGE-bestuurder Morné Lakay, gemeenskapsleiers en inwoners.
Gaste is verwelkom met optredes deur plaaslike rieldansers van die Dirk Boshoff Primêre Skool in Uniondale voordat hulle na die nabygeleë bushalte beweeg het vir die seremoniële lintknipgeleentheid wat die amptelike ingebruikneming van die diens beklink het.
Die groep flinke rieldansers van die Dirk Boshoff Primêre Skool in Uniondale het die hooggeplaastes behoorlik laat voete stamp op die aansteeklike ritme van hul danspassies en musiek.
Premier Alan Winde het tydens die geleentheid gesê die uitbreiding van openbare vervoer na landelike gemeenskappe beteken ook die uitbreiding van ekonomiese geleenthede. “Die bou van ’n werkskeppingsekosisteem gebeur nie in isolasie nie. Dit verg beleggings in onder meer openbare vervoer wat inwoners met geleenthede verbind. Dit sal help verseker dat ekonomiese groei inklusief is. Die bekendstelling van GO GEORGE se nuwe Roete 20-diens is ’n belangrike stap om toegang tot werk, onderwys en noodsaaklike dienste vir gemeenskappe in hierdie gebiede te verbeter.”
Minister Isaac Sileku het gesê die uitbreiding van die GO GEORGE-busdiens na Uniondale en Haarlem beteken dat meer inwoners toegang sal hê tot bekostigbare en betroubare vervoer om by die werk, skool, gesondheidsdienste en ander belangrike bestemmings uit te kom. “Ons wil hê inwoners van ons kleiner dorpe en landelike gebiede moet dieselfde toegang tot openbare vervoer en geleenthede hê as almal anders. Ons het na die gemeenskap geluister, en ons sal voortgaan om saam met inwoners van Uniondale, Haarlem, Avontuur, Noll en omliggende nedersettings te werk om seker te maak hierdie diens voldoen aan hul behoeftes. Ons moedig almal aan om van die diens gebruik te maak en hul terugvoer met ons te deel.”
George se uitvoerende burgemeester, Browen Johnson het gesê die roete verteenwoordig ’n belangrike mylpaal vir die munisipaliteit. “Wanneer ons sê ‘luister, tree op, lewer’, bedoel ons dit. Die instelling van hierdie busdiens is ’n direkte reaksie op die behoeftes en versoeke wat deur ons gemeenskappe uitgespreek is. Dit gaan oor veel meer as die bekendstelling van nóg ’n busroete. Dit gaan daaroor om dienste nader aan mense te bring, toegang tot geleenthede uit te brei en die daaglikse lewe ’n bietjie makliker te maak vir die inwoners wat ons dien.”
In die twee weke voor die bekendstelling het GO GEORGE se kommunikasiespan baie tyd in Uniondale, Haarlem en omliggende gemeenskappe deurgebring. Hulle het woonbuurte, skole, werkplekke, plase en nedersettings besoek om inligting oor die nuwe diens te deel. Die span het inwoners persoonlik ingelig oor hoe om ’n geskeduleerde openbare vervoerdiens te gebruik, vrae beantwoord en waardevolle terugvoer ingesamel. Hierdie terugvoer is aan die beplannings- en bedryfspanne deurgegee om die finale afronding van die roete te ondersteun.
GO GEORGE-bestuurder Morné Lakay sê die gesprekke wat hulle die afgelope paar weke met inwoners gevoer het, het sowel die behoefte aan as die entoesiasme vir hierdie diens bevestig. “Ons sien uit na voortgesette betrokkenheid met die gemeenskappe wat ons dien terwyl ons Roete 20 oor tyd verfyn en verder uitbrei,” het Lakay gesê.
Drie van die eerste passasiers van Uniondale wat Vrydagoggend by die George-vervoersentrum afgeklim het, het ook die bekendstellingsgeleentheid bygewoon en is deur die minister van mobiliteit en George se uitvoerende burgemeester met ’n geskenkpakkie verras. Van links is Martin Samuels, minister Isaac Sileku, Sarah Arendse, burgemeester Browen Johnson, en Johannes Arendse.
Die eerste passasiers het Vrydagoggend van die diens gebruik gemaak en kort ná 08:00 by die George-vervoersentrum aangekom. Een passasier het opgemerk dat sy “nie kon wag om GO GEORGE te kom próé nie”, terwyl ’n ander passasier daardie aand vertel het dat sy op pad huis toe só vasgevang geraak het in ’n sappige gesprek op die bus dat sy doelbewus haar halte gemis het net om te hoor hoe die storie eindig. Die besondere gees van kameraadskap en gemeenskap op die busse is tipies van ’n landelike gemeenskap waar mense mekaar ken en nou saam die baie meer bekostigbare, geskeduleerde en veilige openbare vervoerdiens wat GO GEORGE bied, vier.
Meer inligting oor die Uniondale/Haarlem-diens is beskikbaar by www.gogeorge.org.za/uniondale, of deur die GO GEORGE-inbelsentrum te skakel by 0800 044 044.