By Rorisang Modiba
- The National Public Transport Regulator has so far received 10 applications from ride-hailing platforms, but none have been approved yet.
- Bolt and Uber have both applied for registration, but companies that don’t comply by 11 March 2026 cannot operate legally.
Ride-hailing companies in South Africa may not be ready for new e-hailing rules that come into effect on 11 March 2026.
The Department of Transport says the National Public Transport Regulator (NPTR) received 10 applications from ride-hailing platforms. Two have been published in the Government Gazette, but none have been officially approved.
Publishing in the Gazette is only step three of a seven-step process. Companies still need to meet with a committee, show how their app works, wait for approval, receive a certificate and notify all provincial regulators before they can be fully registered.
The registration process started in September 2025. The most advanced applications are still at step three, which means companies may not finish in time.
Both Bolt and Uber have confirmed they applied for registration. Bolt applied in November 2025, but it is not clear how far along it is in the process.
Bolt said it supports the new rules and believes they will improve safety and accountability. Uber also said it supports the rules and is working with the government to comply, MyBroadband reported.
The new rules require cars to display the company’s branding and drivers to install panic buttons in their vehicles. Drivers can only operate in the area listed on their licence and cannot pick up new passengers outside that area.
Companies that allow drivers to work without the correct licences could face fines of up to R100,000 or jail time of up to two years.
With the deadline approaching, it is still unclear whether ride-hailing companies will be fully registered in time.
Pictured above: Uber.
Image source: File
