Uber and Bolt risk shutting down in South Africa over licence chaos
South Africa’s popular e-hailing platforms could soon find themselves on the wrong side of the law
Image: File
South Africa’s popular e-hailing platforms including Uber and Bolt could soon find themselves on the wrong side of the law as the clock runs out on new government regulations.
IOL previously reported that the government has introduced the National Land Transport Amendment Act, requiring all e-hailing platforms, including Uber and Bolt, to register with authorities. The new regulations mandate that operators display proper vehicle branding, install panic buttons, and secure licenses for both drivers and platforms.
The new rules were introduced to regulate the fast-growing e-hailing industry, improve safety for passengers and drivers, and address the long-standing tensions between e-hailing services and the traditional taxi industry. The rules came into effect in September 2025.
Last year, the government allowed a 180-day compliance period for drivers to apply for licenses and meet the new requirements. Last year, National Spokesperson Collen Msibi said that the Department was committed to ensuring a fair and regulated environment for all public transport operators.
However, with the deadline now just a month away, media reports indicate that none of the major platforms has completed the registration process, leaving them at risk of being deemed 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".
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