Pictured- Logan Kruger, Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Public Safety and Transport at Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality with MEC Jabu Mbalula during a buss ride
By Rorisang Rampheteng
Bloemfontein
The Free State government launched its 2026 October Transport Month campaign at the Interstate Bus Lines (IBL) depot in Hamilton, Bloemfontein, on Wednesday, 14 October, to promote road safety, improve public transport and expose young people to emerging technologies and career opportunities in the transport sector.
The campaign aims to build a safe, sustainable, reliable and affordable transport system. The launch featured a hybrid bus demonstration and a career exhibition introducing learners to opportunities in engineering, vehicle maintenance, electrical technology and green technologies.
Jabu Mbalula said transport was essential for connecting residents, particularly those in rural communities, to education, healthcare and employment opportunities.
“For our people, transport is not a luxury, but it is a lifeline,” he said.
Mbalula said the province needed a reliable transport system to address the long distances residents travelled to access essential services and economic opportunities.
He added that the legacy of apartheid had left some communities far from economic centres, making it necessary to bring opportunities closer to residents.
“Our democratic responsibility is to overcome that legacy. We must build a transport system that brings opportunity closer to people, restores dignity, and ensures that where a person lives does not determine how far they can go in life,” he said.
Mbalula also highlighted the potential of hybrid and electric buses to reduce fuel consumption and emissions while improving energy efficiency.
He said his visit to Singapore had strengthened his belief that the Free State needed to prepare for technological developments in public transport.
“Why should our children only read about electric buses in the textbooks when they can see them, study them, and one day build one of their own and maintain them?” he asked.
He said the transition to modern transport technologies could create opportunities for young people in engineering, vehicle maintenance, electrical technology and the green economy.
However, Mbalula cautioned that adopting new technologies would require adequate infrastructure, technical skills and sustainable investment. He stressed that innovation should go hand in hand with efforts to improve road safety and transport infrastructure.
Logan Kruger, Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Public Safety and Transport at Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality, welcomed the career exhibition, saying it could help learners understand developments in the transport industry and explore possible career paths.
“Our young people must not remain spectators in the technological transformation of our economy,” Kruger said.
She said young people needed to take an active interest in available opportunities, adding that government policies alone could not guarantee their participation in the economy.
Kruger also emphasised the need for cooperation between government, municipalities, transport operators and other stakeholders to improve public transport services, infrastructure and road safety.
The event brought together government representatives and transport industry partners, including Interstate Bus Lines and taxi operators, to highlight the importance of collaboration in developing the transport sector.
Mbalula said government, industry and communities needed to work together to ensure that technological advances benefited residents.
“The future of transport requires cooperation between government, industry, and the communities. We must work together to ensure that innovation does not leave our people behind, but carries them forward,” he said.
He officially launched the provincial campaign by calling for greater collaboration, innovation and investment to advance economic inclusion, environmental sustainability and social justice.
October Transport Month is an annual initiative that raises awareness of transport’s role in economic development and service delivery while promoting road safety, improved mobility and public participation in building a more accessible transport system.
