What happens when one of South Africa’s biggest ride-hailing platforms fails to obtain the certificate required to legally operate? That is the situation facing Uber, which remains without its required registration certificate months after a new legal framework came into effect.
• Uber has not received its required NPTR registration certificate
• The new rules took effect in September 2025
• The company’s registration application was submitted months after the legal deadline
South Africa’s e-hailing industry entered a new regulatory era when the National Land Transport Amendment Act came into effect on 12 September 2025. The legislation formally brought services such as Uber, Bolt, InDrive and Wanatu under public transport regulations. Platforms were given 180 days to secure registration from the National Public Transport Regulator, while drivers would need operating licences once their platforms were approved.
• E-hailing is now formally regulated public transport
• Platforms were given 180 days to register
• Drivers also require operating licences
The deadline passed with only Wanatu and Bolt registered. InDrive and Maxim later obtained their certificates, while Uber’s application remained unresolved. Uber had previously indicated that it submitted its application well before the deadline, although records later showed it was submitted on 17 February 2026, leaving the company less than a month before the registration period expired.
• Bolt and Wanatu beat the initial deadline
• InDrive and Maxim have since been certified
• Uber applied on 17 February 2026
The registration process involves several stages, including document verification, public notification, regulatory assessment and a demonstration of the platform’s compliance with mandatory safety features. The Department of Transport only confirmed Uber’s application on 19 June 2026, indicating that it had reached the publication stage. The lengthy delay raises questions about whether additional requirements or regulatory concerns remain outstanding.
• Uber’s application has moved through only part of the process
• The platform must demonstrate regulatory compliance
• Its registration remains unresolved months later
The uncertainty leaves Uber drivers in an unusual position, particularly as operating without the required certification could expose them to enforcement action. One possible workaround has been for drivers to also operate through a registered platform. With Uber still awaiting approval and the Department of Transport yet to explain the delay or announce enforcement action, one of South Africa’s biggest e-hailing brands remains caught between the old system and the country’s new regulatory rules.
Via: MyBroadBand
