Uber and Bolt crackdown — what it means for SA commuters

Uber

Cape Town – A protest in Soweto following the death of Uber driver Mthokozisi Mvelase has intensified pressure on government to regulate e-hailing services in South Africa.

Last week, angry residents in Soweto blocked Chris Hani Road and the entrance to Maponya Mall after an e-hailing driver was killed, with two others wounded, in what is believed to be a taxi-related attack.

The violent incident involved unknown suspects targeting e-hailing vehicles.

Four men approached a ride-hailing vehicle outside a mall in the Soweto township, shot the driver and set the vehicle on fire, police said.

The gunmen also fired on a second vehicle nearby but the driver escaped before it too was torched.

Following the incident, residents expressed outrage, saying normal business could not continue after such brutality.

According to The Citizen, Transport Minister Barbara Creecy confirmed that the National Land Transport Amendment (NLTA) Act, approved in March, will be implemented in October to formalise how platforms like Uber and Bolt operate.

The Act will require e-hailing vehicles to be licensed, branded, and restricted to specific operating areas, with drivers subjected to criminal checks and required to hold professional driving permits, the report said, citing  Sunday Times.

Cars will also need panic buttons and updated driver profiles for safety.

The move aims to reduce violent clashes between taxi and e-hailing drivers, curb unregulated operators, and improve commuter safety.

Santaco, however, has criticised delays in implementation, warning that unregulated e-hailing has worsened crime, congestion, and rivalry in the transport sector.

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