Good news for people who use Uber and Bolt in Cape Town

EWN reports that the Western Cape Provincial Regulatory Entity (PRE) has announced an additional 1,100 operating licences for e-hailing drivers and metered taxi operators in Cape Town.

The Western Cape E-hailing Association has welcomed the announcement after the PRE reviewed supply and demand across Cape Town.

The municipality recommended supporting more operating licences to ensure enough rides are available for commuters in the metro.

According to the Western Cape PRE, only 5,494 operating licences are currently registered.

Those with expired licences must apply between Thursday, 19 June 2025, and month end, while applications for new operating licences will open on 1 July.

The Western Cape E-hailing Association’s general secretary, Omar Parker, said the announcement is a step in the right direction.

“We do welcome the announcement, and I think it was long overdue. However, we are cautiously optimistic about the situation. We will see how things play out,” he said.

“There are still some concerns that we have raised, and we are hoping to address those with the city and the PRE in due course.”

One such concern is the sudden increase in consultants charging vulnerable e-hailing operators hefty fees to assist them in applying.

In March 2025, the PRE said it would not support any more operating licences for e-hailing and metered taxi operators until further notice, after it approved “the full allowed quota” of 3,354 licences.

The entity said it had received more than 14,000 applications, many of which the applicants could not operate legally in the province.

This resulted in frustration and complaints from drivers unable to work as officials impound the cars of drivers operating without the necessary license.

Western Cape Mobility Department spokesperson Muneera Allie said the province could support around 3,300 new applications, which will be judged on a first-come, first-served basis.

“The PRE proceeded to approve the full allowed quota of 3,354 new operating licences on a first-come-first-serve basis,” said Allie.

“As a result of the quota being reached, the City of Cape Town has indicated that no further operating license applications will be supported.”

At the time, Parker raised concerns that the PRE was still accepting applications, despite not supporting more licences, from which it was generating revenue.

“What is happening is that the city is generating a lot of revenue from this. Permits are not being released,” he said.

“They say they’ve reached their ceiling, they’re in excess, and they can’t release any more, yet applications are still being taken in. On the other hand, the impoundments are still going on.”

Wait for amended National Land Transport Act regulations

Shortly after the mobility department’s announcement, Cape Town MMC for urban mobility, Rob Quintas, said there was no indication when the PRE would grant more licences.

He said the metro’s Transport Regulations Management branch had met with the PRE in early April 2025.

“We are not in a position yet to confirm any number as additional factors to be considered were raised during the session,” added Quintas.

He said the team was working on those aspects, adding that the department wouldn’t issue any licences until further notice.

Quintas said the Western Cape provincial government would wait until the National Land Transport Amendment Act and associated regulations were promulgated into law before announcing the way forward.

However, it could still be a while before this happens.

President Cyril Ramaphosa signed an amendment to the National Land Transport Act in June 2024, but the regulations have yet to be promulgated into law.

The amendments make operating licences compulsory for e-hailing drivers in South Africa.

The amendments signed by Ramaphosa allow ride-hailing drivers to apply for operating licences like any other public transport operator, instead of using charter permits and meter taxi operating licences.

Former transport minister Sindisiwe Chikunga welcomed its signing.

“Now that the President has signed the Amendment Bill, regulations will be submitted to the office of the State Law Advisor for certification and submitted to the minister for approval,” her department stated.

“This Bill amends the National Land Transport Act of 2009 to bring it up to date with developments since the implementation and simplifies various provisions or solves problems that have arisen since the implementation,” added Chikunga.