GEORGE NEWS - In a landmark move toward sustainable transport, a public-private partnership to establish an electric vehicle (EV) charging station at the François Ferreira Academy in George was launched on Thursday 3 July .
The initiative brings together François Ferreira Academy, Solar Energy Africa, the Garden Route District Municipality (GRDM) and Africa Skills Private Training, and is seen as a major step towards building green infrastructure in the region.
The academy has donated the land for the charging station, which will be installed by Solar Energy Africa, a national solar energy leader.
This station is the first in a wider network of EV charging sites planned for the N2 corridor and key rural tourism destinations between Cape Town International Airport and Plettenberg Bay. The goal is to support the growing shift to electric transport and make the region EV-ready for both residents and tourists.
The agreement follows the successful Garden Route EV seminar, hosted by Africa Skills GeorgeTech, where stakeholders discussed the future of South Africa's EV industry, including the urgent need for trained artisans to support the sector.
Signatories of the EV pledge included Garden Route Mayor Andrew Stroebel, Jessica van der Merwe of Solar Energy Africa and Phillip Harmse of UXi Artisan Development.
"This is more than infrastructure - it's a skills revolution," said Harmse. Africa Skills has already introduced EV-relevant training, preparing artisans in fields like battery technology, solar integration and EV maintenance.
Western Cape Department of Mobility's acting chief director, Anthonie Janse van Rensburg, emphasised the province's broader EV strategy: building fast-charging hubs and shifting government fleets to electric vehicles.
Stroebel echoed, saying: "As a global tourism hub, the Garden Route must be EV-ready. We're embracing innovation and partnerships to lead the way. As national policy tightens around combustion engines, the Garden Route is positioning itself as a green mobility leader powered by solar, driven by skills, and built on strong collaboration."
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