the company

The Intercape Story

1970
Johan Ferreira Sr buys his first bus in partnership with Amos Van Niekerk in Namibia and name the business “Sentraal Busdiens”.

1972
Johan Ferreira Sr buys 2nd bus and buys the shares held by Amos Van Niekerk in “Sentraal Busdiens” and renames the business “Windhoek Busdiens”.

1974
Johan Ferreira Sr resigns as teacher at Eros Primary School to concentrate on building his own business “Windhoek Busdiens”.

1977
Johan Ferreira Sr buys first depot in Windhoek.

1978
Johan Ferreira buys Khomasdal Busdiens a rural bus service in Windhoek and integrates the business with Windhoek busdiens.

18 July 1979
Intercape is formed in South Africa – shuttle between DF Malan Airport and the Station in Cape Town. Windhoek Busdiens in Windhoek starts shuttle service between Windhoek and JG Strijdom airport.

1980
Ferreira Family relocates to Cape Town.

1981
Intercape starts to transport scholars from hostels in Cape Town to towns in remote areas, some 500 km out of Cape Town. Charter division starts operating.

1983
Sells Windhoek Busdiens to FP Du Toit Transport.

May - 1986
Intercity route between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth is introduced on a daily basis. Open a sales office in Port Elizabeth and at Cape Town station.

1987
Opens administration office and call centre in Airport Industria, Cape Town.

1988
Intercape imports first new Neoplan 122 luxury Double Decker coaches for Intercity route between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.

Intercape introduces service between Cape Town and Upington. Opens a new Intercity sales office in Upington.

1990
Intercape introduces Intercity route between Port Elizabeth and East Londen.

1991
Intercape buys “Mainliner” from FP Du Toit Transport. “Mainliner” includes the following Intercity routes:

Cape Town – Windhoek, Windhoek – Pretoria and Windhoek- Walvis Bay. Re-opens the depot and offices in Windhoek. Opens Intercity sales office in Johannesburg and Braamfontein.

1992
Intercape moves into new Head Office at Airport Industrial.

1993
Intercape introduces Trans Zambezi Express. A luxury intercity service operating between Johannesburg , Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zambia. (Lusaka, Harare and Blantyre) Opens Intercity sales offices in Lusaka, Harare and Blantyre.

1994
The Company Intercape Ferreira Mainliner (Pty) Ltd is formed and consolidated with Intercape operations.

1995
A new Intercity sales office opens in Pretoria. Intercape introduces the route between Cape Town and Johannesburg.

1996
Intercape Ferreira Mainliner introduces the route between Johannesburg and Maputo. Open Intercity Sales in Johannesburg Central.

Intercape Ferreira Mainliner introduces the route between Port Elizabeth and Pretoria.

1997
Intercape Ferreira Mainliner starts to assemble Neoplan N122 luxury double decker Coaches for its own use.

Intercape Ferreira Mainliner introduces the route between Mossel Bay and Pretoria and opens depots in Mossel Bay and Port Elizabeth.

1998
Intercape Ferreira Mainliner introduces a new route between Windhoek and Victoria Falls.

Intercape opens a new depot in Pretoria.

1999
Intercape Ferreira Mainliner signs a license agreement to assemble and manufacture busses and coaches in Cape Town with Neoplan Germany. Neoplan Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd is constituted.

Intercape Ferreira Mainliner opens a training academy to train their drivers and hostesses in Cape Town.

Intercape Ferreira Mainliner introduces a new route between Pretoria and Durban and opens an Intercity sales office at Durban station.

Intercape Ferreira Mainliner introduces Intercape Parcel service. As service that is available country wide.

Intercape Ferreira Mainliner introduces route between Johannesburg and Gabarone as well as between Johannesburg and Maputo. Intercity Sales office open in Gabarone.

Intercity network between Cape Town and Durban, via Bloemfontein and between Port Elizabeth and Durban starts operating.

2000
Intercape opens a new Intercity sales office in Bloemfontein.

Intercape starts own IT division to develop software and enables Intercape to integrate the complete business into one IT system.

2001
Intercape opens new Intercity sales offices in Nelspruit and George.

2003
Intercape opens a new Intercity sales office in Pietermaritzburg.

2004
Intercape Ferreira Mainliner starts operating between Bloemfontein and Upington.

2005
Founder and owner, Johann Ferreira Sr passes away.

A board of directors was appointed under the leadership of Francois Uys.

New product range is introduced, namely Sleepliner. Sleepliner is a business class concept, a product that is unique to Intercape.

2006
Intercape Ferreira Mainliner starts operating a route between Cape Town and Queenstown. Intercity sales offices opened in East London, Queenstown and King Williamstown.

Intercape introduces Revenue Management department to manage intercity price ticketing.

2007
Drive cam and satellite tracking is introduced in the Company. 2008
Intercape introduces new Irizar coaches to their charter division.

Johann Ferreira Jr buys the shares of the Company from Mrs Ferreira Sr and Mrs Hamman.