South Africa finally regulates Uber and Bolt under a new transport law
This way, all parties involved can be a bit more protected under the law.
When Uber and Bolt entered South Africa, they weren’t brand-new concepts. Both had already proven themselves in other markets. But locally, they first appeared as niche apps for a small group of early adopters willing to try private car rides. But their popularity quickly surged, growing beyond expectations and sparking pushback from traditional taxi associations. Critics, particularly from the minibus taxi industry, began tagging the services as “illegal,” arguing that they operated outside the country’s transport framework.
In response, South African lawmakers moved to clarify the situation. On September 12, 2025, the government gazetted amendments to the National Land Transport Act, meaning e-hailing services like Uber and Bolt are formally recognised as a regulated type of public transport. It’s not a completely new law, but rather updates and clarifications to place e-hailing on a firm legal footing — and yes, that means new obligations for drivers, app platforms, and commuters alike.
Ogbonda Chivumnovu
For drivers, the biggest shift is the need for an operating licence, granted only after compliance checks by Provincial Regulatory Entity offices. Vehicles themselves must be roadworthy and must have a designated area of jurisdiction, where the driver can pick up passengers. They may still drop someone off beyond that area, but may not legally pick up outside their licensed zone.
In terms of safety, every e-hailing vehicle must be branded or carry a sign so the company name is visible. On the inside of the car, panic buttons should be installed and maintained by the vehicle owner. The point of the button is to assist with crime detection and enable rapid responses when needed. Even though all of these are being put in place, riders are still advised to verify that vehicle and driver details match what appears in the app.
On the app/company side: developers and companies must register and comply with South Africa’s trade, industry, and revenue laws (Trade, Industry & Competition dept; SARS). If an app permits users (drivers) to use its platform without the proper licence, there can be serious penalties, up to R100,000 (~$5800) in fines or two years in jail.
These might all sound like slightly harsh terms, but with South Africa’s e-hailing market projected to grow by around 17.5% annually and hit $3 billion by 2030, it seems the goal is to ensure sustainable growth while reducing safety and legal disputes.
As always, implementation will make or break the success: if licences are too hard to get, or costs too high, or enforcement lax, tensions between traditional taxi services and e-hailing operators may continue. But on paper at least, South Africa is choosing to bring ride-hailing into the light, legally, technically, and socially.
Louis Eriakha
