Authorities push e-hailing permit compliance amid unlicensed driver concerns

The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport is urging all e-hailing drivers to comply and register for road permits to provide services, a critical step to bring order and safety to the growing e-hailing industry.

According to spokesperson for the South African Meter Taxi and E-hailing Association (SAMTEA), Sibongiseni Shange, the number of drivers who are unregistered and without valid road permits in the country is alarming.

“Over 80% of e-hailing drivers are not registered to provide these services, they operate with no regulatory oversight,” he said.

He expressed concern that this makes it difficult for the relevant departments to track who is providing services and in which areas, and that it can create fertile ground for criminality.

“This makes it nearly impossible for law enforcement to distinguish between legitimate service providers and those with nefarious intentions,” said Shange.

He said this poses a significant risk to both passengers and drivers.

“Crime rates are high in the country, especially urban areas. Should anything go wrong, passengers have no way out, [especially] if they are using the services of an unregistered driver,” he said, highlighting prevalent issues such as human trafficking.

Shange added that unregistered drivers also get left in vulnerable circumstances without the proper documentation and support.

“Without permits, drivers often lack proper insurance, their vehicles might not meet safety standards, and there is no official record of their operations,” he said.

Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport (GDRT) spokesperson, Melitah Madiba said e-hailing services are recognised and licensed as metered taxis, however the majority of drivers are not registered.

“The Gauteng Provincial Regulatory Entity (GPRE) states that in Tshwane and in Gauteng at large, majority of e-hailing operators are operating without licenses,” she said.

Madiba elaborated on the importance of drivers holding valid operating licenses.

“Operating licenses allow GPRE to monitor public transport better, which in turn, makes it difficult for criminals to use public transport to do crime,” she said, adding that this will allow GDRT to fast track the one ticketing system in the province.

She then said the department is continually engaging all members of the e-hailing industry on issues of compliance, formalisation of the industry, and safety.

“The engagements of app companies and the GPRE have been ongoing since the emergence of e-hailing,” she said.

She said app companies are asked to regionalise their offices and purchase parking bays around cities to assist planning authorities in allocating operating licenses to specific parking bays.

“GPRE has also instructed app companies not to onboard drivers onto their platforms without them having an operating license,” she added.

Madiba said despite these efforts, the department has not been receiving cooperation from the app companies.

“The many drivers operating without licenses show that app companies are not complying with GPRE requirements because everyday new drivers are being onboarded,” said Madiba.

She closed by saying that by encouraging compliance and creating a space for enable e-hailing and other modes of transport, the department is hoping to create a conducive environment for passenger transport companies to run their operations.

ALSO READ: Greenpeace, communities demand urgent action on deadly pollution

Do you have more information about the story?

Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.

For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East

For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok.