George moving to award-winning My Smart City app

GEORGE NEWS - George Municipality is excited to announce that it is moving over to a new award-winning Citizen app, My Smart City, that won the award for best enterprise solution in the 2022 MTN App Of The Year Award.

Available on the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or via the My Smart City website (mysmart.city), the platform was built by Acumen Software, and has been successfully launched in a number of metros including Johannesburg, Cape Town, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni.

George Municipality has partnered with My Smart City to bring a tailored one-stop solution to your service delivery needs.

Mayor Leon van Wyk welcomed the transition to the new app, saying George is positioning itself within the global drive towards smart cities.

"Technology has the potential to advance the management of cities, contribute to their economic success, and improve the quality of life of its residents. George continues to proactively explore smart city interventions as a means of overcoming the rising challenges of urban development and sustainability, becoming more resilient, innovative and creative."

The municipality aims to simplify service delivery and the My Smart City App allows residents to:

• Log municipal faults

• Receive local alerts and notifications

• Chat to an agent during office hours

• Access and pay your municipal bill (NEW)

• Submit self-read meter readings (NEW)

• Have the opportunity to complete customer satisfaction surveys (NEW)

• Contribute to the Integrated Development Plan (IDP) without needing to attend meetings (NEW)

• Have access to business listings for George and surrounds (NEW)

Existing subscribers of the George municipal app will be notified on the existing app when the current service will be terminated. Subscribers are asked to install the new My Smart City - George app to allow for a seamless transition.

Details will be provided on how to access the My Smart City - George app and the QR Code will be available on your monthly statements. The go live date will be communicated - keep an eye on the municipality's social media channels for updates.

The My Smart City - George app gives residents access to the George social feeds which will allow subscribers to engage and share current affairs within their communities as well as extract information around power outages, load-shedding schedules, water outages, road closures, and stay updated with community alerts specific to the area they live in.

The app will act as a conduit for the resolution of service delivery issues - your issues are escalated to the George Municipality and captured within its internal fault logging system, which provides a reference number and feedback to you, the resident, via the app, allowing you to track your fault without contacting a call centre.

Municipal Manager Dr Michele Gratz said that this app is one of the pillars the municipality is using to render a more efficient and effective service.

"The effectiveness of the My Smart City - George app will however be determined by residents subscribing and then using the many existing and new features to make communicating and transacting with the municipality easier. It is hoped that residents will embrace the new technology to make their lives easier and to make the municipality more efficient."

Keep an eye on municipal social media channels for notification about the go live date of the app.