New regulations to tighten rules for e-hailing drivers within two months

PRETORIA — 24 September 2025

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy has announced South Africa’s new e-hailing regulations could take effect in two months, once the National Land Transport Amendment Act is published.

The legislation aims to impose stricter standards on ride-hailing drivers, matching existing requirements for metered taxis. Authorities will require e-hailing operators to:

• Obtain operating licences tied to specific geographical areas.
• Hold a professional driving permit.
• Pass a criminal background check.
• Install panic buttons in vehicles for emergency response.
• Display branding or signs identifying them as e-hailing operators.

Creecy stated the regulations would help reduce violent clashes between traditional taxi drivers and e-hailing services, which have escalated recently (Minister statement).

The Act passed in March 2025 is undergoing translation into a second official language and is expected to be finalised by October (MyBroadband report).

Both the South African National Taxi Council and e-hailing associations have publicly supported the legislation (source not provided).

Creecy urged conventional taxi operators to accept the changes, stating: “Taxi drivers are no different from the rest of us, and part of what everyone has to understand in the modern world is that you either change or you don’t survive.” (MyBroadband)