Is your Uber ride legal? What passengers should check before getting in
South Africa’s e-hailing regulations place new obligations on platforms, operators and drivers. Here are the checks passengers should make before getting into an Uber or other e-hailing vehicle.
Passengers using e-hailing services in South Africa, including Uber, should be vigilant about ensuring the vehicles and drivers they board meet legal requirements. The National Department of Transport recently updated regulations to formalize e-hailing as a category of public transport. Operators of e-hailing services must have valid operating licences, and platforms must be registered with the National Public Transport Regulator.
However, passengers should not solely rely on the fact that an Uber ride appears in the app, as the regulatory dispute surrounding Uber's registration status highlights. To verify safety, passengers should compare the vehicle and driver details displayed in the Uber app with the actual vehicle and driver. Key checks include matching the licence plate number, make and model of the car, the driver's name and photograph, and ensuring the vehicle displays branding or a sign indicating its e-hailing status.
Additionally, passengers should verify the driver's professional driving permit and criminal-record screening. If any discrepancies arise, passengers should cancel the trip and report the issue through the app or to the relevant transport authority. While an operating licence is crucial for public transport, passengers should still perform these basic safety checks recommended by the platform and government.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
