Golden Arrow

About Golden Arrow Bus Services

Golden Arrow Bus Services (GABS) is one of the biggest commuter bus operators in South Africa. It serves the greater Cape Town area from depots such as Epping, where its head office is based. Its history goes back to 1861, when it began as a horse-drawn tram service between Sea Point and the city centre. Today it is owned by Frontier Transport Holdings, which is majority owned by Hosken Consolidated Investments.

The company says it runs more than 1 000 buses on about 1 300 routes and carries around 230 000 passengers each day. It also operates as a vehicle operating company for the City of Cape Town's MyCiTi service. For many families in the Cape Flats and surrounding areas, the buses are the main way to reach work, school and clinics.

How Golden Arrow supports students and young people

A fleet this large needs more than drivers. It relies on mechanics, electricians, panel beaters, planners, IT staff and finance teams. For that reason, the company lists talent development among its core values and offers several kinds of learning support.

Published listings show a GABS bursary for an undergraduate qualification in BSc Computer Science. Reports say it covers tuition, accommodation, transport and a monthly allowance, which was quoted at R4 000 in one advertisement. Other fields may be added in some years, so read each notice closely.

Golden Arrow also helps young people who do not go to university. The company has hosted an artisan development programme with the Western Cape government. In that scheme, unemployed youth trained as diesel mechanics, auto electricians, fitters and turners, spray painters and body builders in its workshops. In addition, it has advertised a professional bus driver skills programme and learnerships in earlier years.

What to know before applying

Golden Arrow does not run every programme every year. Bursary calls, learnership places and apprenticeship intakes appear at different times, and we could not confirm which ones are open now. Older advertisements may be out of date, so go to the official website and its careers section for the latest notice.

Most programmes ask for South African citizenship, a matric certificate with suitable subjects and a clear ID. Technical places often prefer maths or technical subjects. Bursaries ask for good marks and proof of acceptance at a university. A work-back period may apply, but the exact terms are not confirmed here.

Keep your documents certified and ready. As a result, you can apply quickly when a call opens. Finally, do not pay anyone for a place, because genuine learnerships and bursaries are free to apply for.