GO! Durban: Connecting people to economic opportunity

After years of delays, the Go!Durban transport network is finally set to launch. According to the eThekwini Transport Authority Director, the project will connect residents to jobs, schools, places of worship, and wider economic opportunities.

The economy of eThekwini does not move on its own. It moves when people can get to work, customers can reach businesses, and communities have fair access to services and opportunities.

Thus, the transport corridors of our City are its arteries, carrying the lifeblood of economic and social activity. When these arteries are healthy, well-connected and functioning efficiently as an integrated system, businesses become more accessible, workers spend less time travelling, commercial areas become more viable, and communities gain better access to opportunity.

This is why an efficient, integrated public transport system matters. It creates the conditions for economic growth, investment and job creation. This is the promise at the heart of GO!Durban. We are excited that, after many years of planning, extensive consultation and collaboration among stakeholders, GO!Durban is now moving into operation.

This is an important milestone for eThekwini, marking the transition from years of planning and investment to a modern public transport system that connects people to opportunity and unlocks the city’s economic potential. The need is clear. As cities grow, demand for urban passenger transport will continue to increase. Meeting this demand sustainably requires transport systems that are efficient,accessible and fit for the future.

GO!Durban is designed to meet that need by optimising routes, connecting services and simplifying journeys. It will reduce fragmentation and inefficiencies while giving commuters a more integrated transport experience. But its value extends well beyond the daily commute. For a worker, that will mean less time spent travelling.

For a student, easier access to education. For a small business, a larger customer base. For communities that have historically been on the margins, stronger connections to the city’s economic life.This is where transport becomes an economic issue. Better connectivity will bring people closer to jobs and services, connect businesses to customers and create conditions for investment and development.

Well-connected transport corridors will support commercial activity, open up new development opportunities, and make eThekwini more attractive to investors. GO!Durban must therefore be viewed as an investment in the economy, as its benefits will extend to increased productivity and commercial activity. And because mobility determines access to opportunity, it was critical that the system be inclusive. Affordable fares, accessible infrastructure, and routes connecting under-served communities will help ensure that people of different incomes, ages, and abilities can travel safely, affordably, and with dignity.

The system will also advance our vision of a more sustainable city. By moving more people efficiently through public transport, GO!Durban will help reduce congestion and dependence on private vehicles, lower emissions and make better use of limited urban space. As we respond to climate change, how we move around our city will become increasingly important to building a resilient, sustainable and climate-ready eThekwini.

More than a decade ago, GO!Durban began with a bold ambition: a city where people could move more easily between home, work, education and healthcare; where businesses could reach wider markets; where connected transport corridors could support growth; and where communities could be brought closer to opportunity.

Today, that ambition is moving from plans and investment into operation.But infrastructure alone will not determine the success of GO!Durban. Continued dialogue with public transport operators, commuters, communities and businesses will be essential. The people who operate, use and are affected by the system must remain part of the conversation, with constructive engagement and practical solutions guiding its development.

At the heart of this journey is a simple question, which is: What becomes possible when Durban is better connected? After years of planning, we are now beginning to find out.

The years of planning have brought us here. The real measure of GO!Durban will be how much further it helps take our city.

Zama is the eThekwini Transport Authority Director. Her views do not necessarily represent those of the Sunday Tribune or the National Media Group and its affiliated brands and platforms.

Nelisiwe Zama is eThekwini Transport Authority Director