e-Hailing industry shake-up: Operators at risk as 180-day licence deadline looms
The Department of Transport has warned that South Africa’s e-hailing operators have just 180 days to convert their charter permits
Image: File
The Department of Transport has warned that South Africa’s e-hailing operators have just 180 days to convert their charter permits and meter taxi licences to official e-hailing operating licences.
Earlier this year, the government officially introduced the long-awaited National Land Transport Amendment Act (2009), which provides the legal framework for regulating e-hailing services across the country.
The move also aims to bring stability and peace between the e-hailing sector and traditional taxi operators, who have long expressed concerns over competition from app-based services.
National Spokesperson Collen Msibi said that the Department was committed to ensuring a fair and regulated environment for all public transport operators.
"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 comes in the wake of a concern regarding the snail’s pace of e-hailing platform companies and individuals registering their platforms with the National Public Transport Regulator - an entity of the Department".
He also revealed that all e-hailing platforms must first be registered with the National Public Transport Regulator (NPTR) before any operator can convert or apply for an e-hailing operating licence.
"Without a registered app no operator will be able to convert to ehailing operating licence or apply for a new ehailing operating licence. This means after 180 days, those who have not converted will automatically become illegal operators".
The department explained that "the National Land Transport Amendment Act, 2009 (Act No. 5 of 2009), along with Regulations, requires e-hailing platform providers to register their digital applications with the NDoT through the NPTR, adding that providers who are not registered with the NPTR will not appear in the databases maintained by the provincial regulators in the nine provinces.
"Applications can be submitted in person, via email, by post. The application fee is R5,000.00 (five thousand rand) for a period of seven years."
IOL
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