Uber and Bolt drivers could face fines or suspension if compliance deadlines are missed. Picture Credit: Digi Cars
By Aisha Zardad
South Africa — South Africa’s leading e-hailing platforms, Uber and Bolt, are on the brink of a legal crisis as the government’s new transport regulations edge closer to enforcement.
The National Land Transport Amendment Act, which officially came into effect in September 2025, requires all e-hailing services to register with authorities. Operators must display approved vehicle branding, install panic buttons, and secure licences for both drivers and platforms.
The regulations were introduced to formalise the rapidly growing e-hailing industry, enhance passenger and driver safety, and address ongoing tensions between e-hailing services and the traditional taxi sector.
When the legislation was announced, the government allowed a 180-day compliance period to give operators time to meet the new requirements. “The Department is committed to ensuring a fair and regulated environment for all public transport operators,” National Spokesperson Collen Msibi said last year.
With only a month remaining before the deadline, reports suggest that none of the major platforms have completed registration. This delay puts them at risk of being classified as illegal operators once the compliance period ends.
“Without a registered app, no operator will be able to convert to an e-hailing operating licence or apply for a new e-hailing operating licence. This means after 180 days, those who have not converted will automatically become illegal operators,” Msibi said last year.
“Providers who are not registered with the NPTR will not appear in the databases maintained by the provincial regulators in the nine provinces. Consequently, this will impact e-hailing operators seeking to apply for an operating license at the provincial level using their digital platforms”.
The countdown is on, and the future of e-hailing in South Africa now hangs in the balance.
