New Uber and Bolt rival coming to South Africa’s richest province

The Gauteng transport department has announced that it plans to develop and implement an e-hailing app for which all stakeholders in the province will be responsible.

This comes from Gauteng transport MEC Kedibone Diale-Tlabela when she spoke during a media briefing on 18 August 2025.

She noted that efforts were already underway to create such a platform.

“There are various proposals for a solution on the table. It’s an opportunity for us to come up with a Gauteng e-hailing app, which all of us will be responsible for,” she said.

“We have assigned our team in Gautrain to help us enhance the idea and see how we take it forward.”

She also noted that one of the main motivators for this development is the concerns around safety when using e-hailing platforms.

Diale-Tlabela explained that several apps are known for being unsafe and that providing South Africans with safe ones is the government’s responsibility.

“At the end of the day, as government, we are held responsible. That’s why you see us saying: let’s work on our own e-hailing app, that you, as society and communities in Gauteng, can hold us responsible,’ she said.

Following this, she called on the national Department of Transport to finalise its regulations surrounding the industry.

This relates to the amended National Land Transport Act, which President Cyril Ramaphosa signed in June 2024.

The amended act allows ride-hailing operators to apply for operating licenses like other public transport operators.

“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,” said Sindisiwe Chikunga, the former transport minister.

“The NLTA now reflects our commitment to a modern, inclusive, and efficient transport system.”

Turbulent times of e-hailing

While this is good news for South Africans looking for more e-hailing options, the government may face similar issues to those facing established platforms such as Uber.

One of these is the growing conflict between the taxi industry and the e-hailing sector, which recently saw an e-hailing driver killed.

This attack took place on 12 August 2025 at Maponya Mall, and along with the victim, a passerby suffered a gunshot wound.

The assailants then torched the e-hailing driver’s car and fled the scene.

Police have opened a case of murder, attempted murder, and arson to investigate the violent attacks.

“The South African Police Service and Johannesburg metro police are on the scene to monitor the situation, which is suspected to be taxi violence-related,” said Dimakatso Nevhuhulwi, Gauteng police spokesperson.

He also condemned the attack, calling it a senseless and unacceptable act, a sentiment that was shared by the local community members who shut down the mall for seven days.

The shutdown was conducted to call for better police presence and local security to prevent further potential crimes.