Western Cape Government meets with Golden Arrow Bus Services to ensure sufficient public transport
22 July 2021
Today, the Premier of the Western Cape, Alan Winde, and the Provincial Minister of Transport and Public Works, Daylin Mitchell, met with Golden Arrow Bus Services’ (GABS) management, as part of efforts to ensure more public transport capacity is brought into the system.
Premier Winde said: “While meeting with Golden Arrow’s CEO, Francois Meyer, I was advised that the bus service is continuing to bring online more of its fleet, after the disruptions earlier this week. This evening, 60% of their fleet or approximately 600 buses will be brought online, which is an increase from 40% of their fleet yesterday. I made it clear that ensuring the safety of public transport operations is my top priority, and that SAPS has significantly increased their presence to ensure that violence is prevented.”
The CEO of GABS, Francois Meyer, said: “The recent spate of taxi violence across the metropole has had a devastating impact on Golden Arrow’s ability to offer its scheduled services to our 250 000 daily passengers. Historically Golden Arrow has been known as the most stable public transport operator who has always been there for Capetonians when other services were not operational. Unfortunately, the brazen criminality that we have seen over the last week has made this impossible.”
“Golden Arrow must however extend its sincere gratitude to Premier Alan Winde, MEC for Transport and Public Works Daylin Mitchell, the Provincial Department of Transport, the South African Police Services and the City of Cape Town’s Safety and Security Directorate for the support that we have received during this very difficult time. We believe that this holistic approach advocated by the Premier and MEC is already creating a vastly safer operating environment,” says Golden Arrow Chief Executive Officer Francois Meyer.