26/05/2026
🚌 🚎 CUTTING OF NATIONAL FUNDING THREATENS MYCITY & GO-GEORGE MUNICIPALITY BUSES EXPANSION
Cutting what works: DA WC warns national transport cuts undermine mobility success
by Prof. Nomafrench Mbombo, MPP - DA Western Cape Spokesperson on Mobility
Date: 26 May 2026
The Democratic Alliance (DA) in the Western Cape is concerned by national government’s reduction and restructuring of public transport funding, which threatens the sustainability and expansion of municipal bus services such as MyCiTi in Cape Town and GO GEORGE in George.
The Public Transport Network Grant (PTNG) is expected to decrease by R1.83 billion nationally, an astounding 24.3%, from 2025/26 to 2026/27. Over the medium term, the grant will decrease by more than 40%. This is happening despite successful municipal transport systems in the Western Cape demonstrating strong performance, growing commuter demand, and effective implementation.
National Treasury has justified the reduction on the basis of underspending and delays in implementation elsewhere in the country. However, capable provinces and municipalities that are delivering results should not be punished because other municipalities lack political will, effective governance, and leadership.
Bus services in the Western Cape account for more than 40% of all Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) passenger trips nationally, underscoring the province’s leading role in delivering efficient and reliable public transport.
MyCiTi alone is projected to deliver approximately 66 000 weekday passenger trips during the 2026/27 financial year. While the planned expansion across the Cape Flats is expected to benefit more than 1.4 million residents, significantly improving access to jobs, education, and economic opportunities. Similarly, GO GEORGE facilitates more than 28 500 passenger trips per weekday in 2026/27 and remains a critical mobility lifeline for residents in George, particularly in connecting outlying communities to essential services and economic nodes.
Prof. Nomafrench Mbombo, MPP, DA Western Cape Spokesperson on Mobility said: “National government cannot continue to punish transport systems that are working. The Western Cape and DA-run municipalities have consistently demonstrated innovation, delivery, and accountability in public transport.”
Mbombo further added, “MyCiTi and GO GEORGE are essential mobility lifelines for residents who rely on safe, affordable, and reliable transport to access jobs, education, and healthcare. Successful municipalities should be rewarded, not penalised for the failures of others.”
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