The Western Cape government is assisting jobseekers with a new initiative aimed at getting them to job interviews for free. Image: Flickr
Western Cape government launches transport initiative for jobless
The Western Cape, together with a bus service, has launched an initiative offering jobseekers free rides to interviews.
The Western Cape government is assisting jobseekers with a new initiative aimed at getting them to job interviews for free. Image: Flickr
The Western Cape government has partnered with the Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) in Cape Town to assist unemployed jobseekers to find jobs.
The province, together with the bus service, has launched an initiative called “Getting You to Work”, offering jobseekers free transportation to travel to and from interviews.
A collaboration between Western Cape government and Golden Arrow
The “Getting You to Work” initiative, according to Cape Town etc, is piloted in Cape Town and offers free ride to interview candidates.
It forms part of the province’s “Growth 4 Jobs Strategy”, which the government says is aimed at improving the provincial employment growth rate.
Jobseekers who are nominated by a partner employer of the Western Cape will be eligible for a travel voucher.
To be eligible for this service, the jobseeker must have a scheduled interview with a partner employer and must have a valid South African ID.
The voucher will enable candidates to be able to travel to and from in the Cape Town Metro for free using the Golden Arrow buses from 8am to 4pm, Monday to Friday.
The process of the Getting You to Work
- Once an interview has been secured between a jobseeker and a partner employer, the employer will offer the jobseeker a free travel voucher to attend the interview.
- Once the jobseeker accepts, their details will be loaded onto an online platform by the employer.
- The jobseeker will receive an SMS containing login details and instructions on how to register on the online portal.
- Once registered, another SMS will provide details on how to collect the voucher, which includes 12 free trips.
- The jobseeker can visit a GABS kiosk or independent vendor to receive the voucher, which is then loaded onto a GABS Gold Card.
- The jobseeker taps the Gold Card when boarding a GABS bus to redeem their free trip.
- The voucher can be used to cover the full journey to and from the interview, including transfers between buses.
The province is inviting employers who want get involved in this initiative by registering with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), and by actively recruiting unemployed jobseekers in Cape Town.
