City welcomes granting of operating licences to Uber drivers

10 July 2015

The City of Cape Town welcomes the granting of 145 metered taxi operating licences for operators who will be using Uber as a technology partner. This service has the potential to raise the quality of service in our city and to make on-demand transport services more commuter-focused and commuter-friendly. 

While Uber is a welcome addition to our public transport offering and a positive development, their model does not strictly fit within the provisions of the National Land Transport Act. As such, there was debate around an appropriate regulatory framework under which they could operate. It was then decided that while the legislative framework catches up, dispensation could be made for these drivers to operate using a metered taxi permit.

Transport for Cape Town, in keeping with our mandate to facilitate innovative and efficient public transport (as demonstrated through our continuing work to integrate public transport in Cape Town), assisted and formally supported applicants in their applications to the Western Cape Government Department of Transport and Public works – the licensing authority.

Now that the licences have been approved, Uber partner drivers can operate legally pending amendments to the National Land Transport Act to accommodate the e-hailing industry. In keeping with Transport for Cape Town’s efforts to modernise and integrate public transport in the city, we are also working on a new by-law to create a legal framework for e-hailing.

We are very supportive of the Uber innovation, however, we are compelled to work within legislation and regulations and we must apply the law equally to all operators. We will continue work with Uber and its operators to ensure that they make their licence applications as we would with any other operator. 

Statement issued by Councillor Brett Herron, Mayoral Committee Member: Transport for Cape Town, City of Cape Town, July 10 2015