In a move that formally ends years of regulatory uncertainty, the Department of Transport has gazetted the National Land Transport Amendment Act (NLTAA), officially recognizing e-hailing services as a legal form of public transport.
The announcement, made on Friday, brings companies like Uber and Bolt under a definitive legal framework for the first time, aligning them with other regulated public transport operators. The Act addresses long-standing tensions within the industry, particularly from the minibus taxi sector.
The South African National Taxi Council (SANTACO) has been a vocal critic of the previous regulatory delay. The body argued that the gap created unfair competition, allowing e-hailing vehicles to operate without adhering to the same legal obligations required of traditional taxis.
With the act now in force, e-hailing operators will be subject to a new set of regulations. Drivers will be required to obtain official operating licenses. All vehicles used for e-hailing services must be clearly branded to indicate their company affiliation and must be equipped with mandated safety features, including panic buttons. Furthermore, the operations of these vehicles will be confined to defined geographic zones.
According to the gazetted act, the legislation “ushers in the e-hailing service as an additional choice of transport to the traveling public.” It also seeks to “affirm and officially recognize the new service type that has been treated as an illegal operation by the other service type operators on the streets.”
The implementation of the NLTAA is expected to create a more level playing field and standardize safety and operational requirements across the public transport sector.