JOHANNESBERG, Mar 6 – Bolt and Wanatu have secured operator licences ahead of South Africa’s March 11 deadline under new rules governing e-hailing platforms.
Bolt said it received its certificate of registration from the National Public Transport Regulator (NPTR) on Feb 27 and this approval allows the company to operate under the country’s updated regulatory framework for e-hailing services.
Wanatu also confirmed it completed the regulator’s registration process under the new rules. The Pretoria based platform said it finalised the process earlier in February after building its service to comply with the legal framework.
South Africa had introduced the updated system under the amended National Land Transport Amendment Act, which took effect on Sept 12, 2025 and authorities gave e-hailing companies 180 days period to comply with the requirements.
The new framework requires digital platforms to register before drivers operating on those platforms can apply for their own permits.
However, many drivers have not begun the process as provincial authorities waited for platforms to complete registration first. Representatives of the driver groups said the timeline may be difficult to meet with only days left before the deadline.
Officials at South Africa’s Department of Transport acknowledged the process has moved slower than expected as a department spokesperson said it plans to publish the full list of licensed companies by the end of March.
The delay could leave drivers exposed to penalties if they continue operating without permits. Under the regulations, non compliance could attract fines of up to 100,000 rand.
Meanwhile, Uber said it has submitted its application for registration with the regulator. The company said it continues to engage with authorities but has not yet received approval.
