Keeping Bellville moving

A GoFleet vehicle

The Greater Tygerberg Partnership (GTP) has called on local businesses to play a bigger role in ensuring that vulnerable groups are assisted and that essential services are supported during lockdown.

GTP’s chief executive Warren Hewitt said: “The GTP has a broad network of businesses and we are currently acting as a connector in order to bring everybody together and serve the community. This could include needing to work together on new online projects or to work together to assist those most vulnerable in our community.” 

One local business that has heeded this call is GoMetro Fleet, a Bellville-based transport company that has committed more vehicles to the area to transport essential workers such as nurses and first responders. 

The company works in a similar way to Uber and has a network of licensed shuttle drivers in the metro areas of Cape Town, Gauteng and Durban. 

Justin Coetzee, GoMetro’s chief executive, said: “Our drivers receive instructions by means of their smartphones where pickups and drop-offs will be and our centralised planning centre ensures that on-time delivery of staff is monitored. Businesses and facilities send us their critical front-line worker’s shifts and addresses, and we use our software to work out an operational plan for shift transport that reduces kilometres and costs – making sure every health-care worker has a safe and clean ride from their front door to the business entrance.”

The costs of the trips are determined by the number of trips and distances covered. 

The GTP is also asking the public to donate canned goods and fresh vegetables as well as blankets to assist vulnerable groups. Trolleys are stationed at Willowbridge shopping centre, Aurora Spar and Sonstraal Spar for this purpose.