Bolt gets first license to operate under S/Africa’s new e-hailing regulation

The ride-hailing company, Bolt, has become the first app to register and obtain approval to operate under the e-hailing section of South Africa’s amended transportation laws. According to sources, the ride-hailing company got its certificate of registration on February 27, 2026, from the National Public Transport Regulator (NPTR), effectively beating the March 11 deadline for compliance.

Speaking about the development, Senior Public Policy Manager for Bolt South Africa, Fikile Nzuza-Chunga, said the company has always welcomed the regulations and has worked with regulators to actualise them.

“We have always welcomed the introduction of clear and progressive regulations for the e-hailing sector. From the outset, we have worked closely with regulators and industry stakeholders to ensure compliance and welcome the framework that supports innovation, safety, and sustainable growth,” Nzuza-Chunga said.

According to her, the achievement, which she described as an important milestone, is intended to strengthen trust, enhance safety, and build confidence in the entire e-hailing industry.

“Receiving the Certificate of Registration from the NPTR is an important milestone not only for Bolt, but for the broader e-hailing industry, as it strengthens trust and enhances safety for both driver operators and passengers,” she said.

See also: Moove rejects claims it worsened vehicle financing for drivers in South Africa

Bolt, South Africa’s transport law and drivers’ protest

In September 2025, the government of South Africa formally enacted the National Land Transport Amendment Act (NLTAA).

Unlike the old version, which made no provisions for e-hailing and forced them to operate under the umbrella of metered taxis, the amended Act makes clear provisions for e-hailing operators.

According to the government, the law is aimed at formalising and modernising the sector by making provisions for enhanced safety standards for both passengers and driver operators.

Thus, under the amended law, all e-hailing vehicles must clearly display vehicle branding. They are also required to install panic buttons to enhance safety, and app companies are required to secure and verify the licences of drivers operating on their platforms, among others.

Both Uber and Bolt supported the amended Act as it promoted clear, modern rules that strengthened safety, professionalism and accountability across the sector. Both companies also confirmed that they had applied to the NPTR on behalf of their platforms and drivers so that they could meet the new regulations before the March 11 deadline.

Bolt appears to be the first, and only company for now, approved to operate under the new framework.

While the company’s registration formally confirms its compliance with the new regulatory framework, the milestone comes amid protests by various stakeholders, especially driver groups, about the core areas it completely neglected.

The National E-hailing Federation of South Africa (NEFSA) have knocked the act for neglecting skills training. It also punctured holes in its safety provisions, noting that it neglected to make rider verification, which would drastically reduce safety incidents against drivers, mandatory. This exposes the one-sidedness of the safety provisions.

NEFSA logo

The federation also noted that the act fails to address ongoing extortion against e-hailing operators and drivers. There is also the absence of a clearly defined Dispute Resolution Mechanism to address issues such as unfair deactivations by app companies and impoundments by authorities.

The law also fails to address data transparency as app companies maintain monopolic control over data and algorithms, leaving government and planning authorities without oversight. There is also a failure to establish a clear regulatory framework to address high commissions charged by app companies, leading to poor driver earnings.

Essentially, the law completely neglected drivers whose long hours are powering the sector.

Similar: Are algorithms by Uber, Bolt and inDrive killing human interactions in e-hailing?

The post Bolt gets first license to operate under S/Africa’s new e-hailing regulation first appeared on Technext.