Pretoria: The Department of Transport has urged e-hailing operators to convert their charter permits and meter taxi operating licences to e-hailing operating licences. This move addresses concerns about the slow registration pace of e-hailing platform companies and individuals with the National Public Transport Regulator, an entity of the department.
According to South African Government News Agency, the department has emphasized the urgency for all providers of e-hailing platforms to register their digital platforms with the National Public Transport Regulator (NPTR). Without a registered app, operators will not be able to convert to or apply for a new e-hailing operating licence. After 180 days from September 12, 2025, non-compliant operators will be deemed illegal.
The National Land Transport Amendment Act, 2009, along with its regulations, mandates that e-hailing platform providers register their digital applications with the department via the NPTR. Providers not registered with the NPTR will not appear in provincial regulators' databases, affecting e-hailing operators who wish to apply for an operating licence at the provincial level.
According to the department's e-hailing Standard Operating Procedure, applications must be submitted using Form 9A, available on the department's website. Applications can be submitted in person, via email, or by post, with an application fee of R5,000 for a seven-year period.