Uber is still waiting for regulatory approval to operate under South Africa’s new legal framework for e-hailing services, months after the deadline for platforms to obtain mandatory registration certificates.
The issue follows the introduction of the National Land Transport Amendment Act (NLTA), which came into effect on 12 September 2025 and formally brought e-hailing companies into the regulated public transport system.
The legislation covers major platforms operating in South Africa, including Uber, Bolt, InDrive and Wanatu. Among other requirements, the companies must obtain registration certificates from the National Public Transport Regulator (NPTR).
The law gave affected platforms 180 days to complete the process.
Platform registration is also important for drivers. Individual e-hailing drivers must obtain operating licences, but they can only apply for those licences once the platform they operate through has received its registration certificate.
By the original deadline, only Wanatu and Bolt had completed registration. InDrive and Maxim subsequently obtained their certificates.
Uber, however, did not submit its application until 17 February 2026, despite previously saying that it had applied well before the deadline.
Registration process involves several stages
The regulatory process is considerably more involved than simply submitting an application.
Applicants must first submit the required forms and supporting documents to the NPTR. Officials then check the application for completeness and verify documents, including tax compliance information.
Once the application has passed the initial checks, details are published in the Government Gazette, on the regulator’s notice board and on its website. The public is given 14 days to submit comments.
The NPTR secretariat then prepares the application for consideration by the relevant committee. Applicants are also required to demonstrate their platforms, including mandatory safety features and other technical requirements.
Only after approval can the platform be formally registered and issued with a registration certificate. The NPTR then informs provincial regulatory entities, allowing operators to proceed with the licensing process for their drivers.
The Department of Transport formally confirmed Uber’s application in a Government Gazette notice published on 19 June 2026. That notice represented the third stage of the registration process rather than confirmation that Uber had been approved.
The length of the process has raised questions because other operators completed their applications substantially faster.
Wanatu submitted its application on 25 November 2025 and received its certificate on 12 February 2026, taking less than three months.
Bolt, one of Uber’s longest-established competitors in South Africa, also completed the process relatively quickly. It submitted its application in November 2025 and received its certificate on 27 February 2026.
Uber delay leaves questions over driver licensing
The difference in timelines has prompted questions about why Uber’s registration remains unresolved.
One possibility is that the NPTR required additional information or was not satisfied that the original application was complete. Uber’s position as one of the country’s largest e-hailing operators could also mean that its application received closer regulatory scrutiny.
The Department of Transport has not recently explained the reason for the delay or indicated whether enforcement action against Uber is being considered.
The situation also creates uncertainty for drivers who rely exclusively on Uber. Because operating licences are linked to the registration status of the platform, drivers may face difficulties obtaining the required authorisation while the company’s application remains unresolved.
One option available to drivers seeking to reduce their exposure to enforcement action is to operate through both Uber and a platform that has already received its registration certificate.
Uber’s regulatory status therefore remains unresolved under the new framework. At the time of publication, MyBroadband had asked Uber for an update on its application, but the company had not responded.