Gauteng is ready to begin enforcing transport holding space requirements at malls, ranks, and public hubs.

Gauteng Transport and Regulatory Entity chairperson Bennito Motitswe said this during a workshop hosted in Douglasdale on October 9 by Bolt South Africa, in partnership with the National Department of Transport and the Gauteng Provincial Regulatory Entity, as part of a broader rollout under the National Land Transport Amendment Act, aimed at improving co-ordination between all transport modes.

“We are already, behind the scenes, discussing how to enforce these laws that say every mall, every rank, every station must have a holding space,” said Motitswe. “A pick-up and drop-off point for all modes of transport.

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“New malls must have them built in, old malls must create them, and municipalities must provide space. If you are parked anywhere on the road without a holding space, enforcement will act.”

Motitswe said the regulations are not meant to punish operators, but to bring order and fairness to a growing sector.

“We understand the nature of your operations. If you are roaming or waiting briefly, law enforcement must take that into account, but if you’re parking and waiting for long periods, that’s where holding spaces are necessary. No one should be chased away from their designated ranks or pick-up zones. We must coexist through proper intermodal facilities.”

The event brought together government officials, e-hailing operators, and industry stakeholders to unpack the new e-hailing regulations, compliance procedures, and licensing processes introduced under the amended act.

Motitswe said that the province had waited for the national regulatory framework to be finalised before moving forward with implementation. Now that it has been completed, Gauteng is preparing to license all transport operators, including e-hailing, taxis, and metered cabs based on demand and supply assessments by municipalities.

“We are not going to deny anyone a license without reason, but it must be supported by data. Municipalities will have to justify whether an area is saturated or can take on new applications, through scientific analysis of their development plans.”

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He revealed an ongoing issue in Bronkhorstspruit, where tensions flared among minibus taxi operators over a new mall development. “We received reports that a man, who was just released from prison, claimed ownership of the new mall’s taxi operations and chased others away.

We’ve already involved the police to ensure order, and we’ve told mall management to create proper pick-up and drop-off points. No one can claim a public transport space as their own.”

The workshop forms part of a broader campaign by the Department of Transport and Bolt South Africa to educate e-hailing operators about the new National Land Transport Amendment Act, which introduces stricter compliance standards, clearer licensing procedures, and more collaboration between government and digital ride-hailing platforms.

“This is a critical moment for the transport industry. We must work together – government, platforms, and drivers – to build one united transport system that serves commuters safely and efficiently.”

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