Uber, Bolt, others must comply with regulations or risk operating illegally

The extended deadline for e-hailing services to fully comply with theNational Land Transport Amendment Actregulations has passed, and only a select few have obtained the new operating licences required by the Act. Does this mean that e-hailing services that have not obtained their licences are operating illegally in South Africa? There are a number of e-hailing services in the country, but we will focus only on those that dominate the market.The Citizenreceived confirmation from Bolt and Maxim that they are fully compliant with the regulations, while Uber declined to comment.

Simo Kalajdzic, senior operations manager at Bolt South Africa, toldThe Citizenit obtained its certificate of registration on 27 February 2026. The extended deadline ended on 11 March 2026. “Bolt confirms that it has obtained its certificate of registration from the National Public Transport Regulator (NPTR), issued on 27 February 2026, and is fully compliant with Regulations 15, 16, 17 and 18 of the National Land Transport Act regulations 2025,” said Kalajdzic.

The regulations require companies to meet minimum operational standards, ensure that cars and drivers are properly licensed and roadworthy, and register with the NPTR. The rules also establish mechanisms for monitoring and enforcement, giving authorities the power to inspect operators, enforce compliance and take action against those who fail to meet the requirements. The Act also requires panic buttons to be installed in e-hailing vehicles to help keep commuters safe and provide quick emergency response.

[paywall]

Vehicle owners are responsible for making sure these are installed. Kalajdzic said they have implemented the mandatory in-app safety features, among others. “This includes registration as an e-hailing platform provider, ensuring that all drivers and vehicles meet licensing and regulatory requirements, implementing mandatory in-app safety features such as emergency functionality and real-time trip tracking, and maintaining comprehensive records that can be shared with authorities when required,” he said.

The e-hailing service said it experienced no challenges in meeting the regulatory requirements. “Following its NPTR registration, the company has begun issuing service level agreements (affiliation letters) to driver-partners, enabling them to proceed with operating licence applications through provincial regulatory entities.” Kalajdzic added the e-hailing service maintains strict compliance and enforcement protocols.

[/paywall]