By Levy Masiteng
The Western Cape Government’s Jobseeker Travel Voucher Programme has registered 1 766 unemployed residents in George since its formal launch on 25 and 26 June, with participants taking 1 083 free trips on the GO GEORGE bus service.
The programme provides qualifying unemployed residents with free bus travel to attend job interviews, submit job applications and actively search for employment.
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During the two-day launch, 368 unemployed residents registered and 330 GO GEORGE smart cards were issued, according to the provincial government.
Registration numbers continued to climb over the following weeks, with nearly 1 800 residents signed up by 19 July.
Weekly use of the programme also increased from about 100 journeys during the launch week to more than 360 trips in a single week.
“The steady increase in the number of trips taken each week shows the real difference this programme is making in the lives of unemployed residents. For many jobseekers, the cost of travelling to interviews or submitting job applications is one of the biggest barriers to finding work. Through this initiative, we are removing that barrier by providing free access to public transport.
“This means more residents can reach opportunities they may otherwise have had to miss,” Western Cape Mobility Minister Isaac Sileku said.
Eligible jobseekers receive a GO GEORGE smart card loaded with six free bus trips, which can be used on weekdays between 09:00 and 15:00.
The initiative comes at a time when unemployment remains one of South Africa’s biggest socio-economic challenges.
Statistics South Africa’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the first quarter of 2026 placed the Western Cape’s official unemployment rate at 19.6%, the lowest among the country’s nine provinces, compared with the national rate of 32.7%.
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However, the provincial unemployment rate increased from 18.1% in the final quarter of 2025, while employment in the Western Cape declined by an estimated 24 000 people between the two quarters.
The provincial government said transport costs can make it difficult for unemployed residents to look for work and that removing this cost could help more people travel to employment opportunities they might otherwise be unable to access.
Unemployed George residents who are actively looking for work have been encouraged to register for the Jobseeker Travel Voucher Programme and use the free bus travel to support their job search.
