Gauteng transport dept suspends three licence system requirements until April 2027

The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport (GDRT) has temporarily suspended three specified requirements necessary on the Gauteng Public Transport Regulatory Information System (GPTRIS), for the next six months.

This decision follows numerous concerns raised by different public transport operators, including scholar transport, metered taxis and e-hailing representatives.

The ‘grace period’

The representations on the three requirements also came from the Gauteng National Taxi Alliance (GNTA) and the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco), who requested a period of consultation and awareness before implementation as part of the new automated licensing system.

The department has granted a grace period until 30 April 2027 to allow meaningful consultation and stakeholder awareness, and noted that after this date, the temporary suspension will no longer be valid.

The temporary suspension specifically applies to the following requirements:

Temporarily suspended requirements

• Police Clearance Certificates: The requirement for applicants seeking public transport operating licences to submit police clearance certificates.

• Labour Law Compliance Undertaking: The requirement for applicants to submit a formal undertaking confirming their commitment to comply with the provisions of the Labour Relations Act.

• Professional Driving Permits (PrDPs): The requirement for applicants who are exclusively business or operating licence owners, and who do not personally drive public transport vehicles, to hold a Professional Driving Permit.

TOLABs to assist

During the suspension period, all Transport Operating Licence Administration Boards (TOLABs) are directed to facilitate, consider and process applications for public transport operating licences without requiring applicants to comply with these three specified requirements.

The GDRT emphasised that the temporary suspension is strictly limited to the three requirements identified above.

“It does not constitute a general suspension of any other statutory, regulatory or administrative requirements applicable to the issuing, renewal or amendment of public transport operating licences.”

After the suspension

The GDRT also noted that Gauteng will also use the temporary suspension period to engage with the national and other provincial departments to standardise and have a uniform set of application requirements for operating licences for all modes of public transport.

After the six-month period, the department will strictly monitor and enforce compliance across all modes of public transport.

The GDRT concluded by stating that the relevant officials have been required to ensure that the necessary administrative and operational arrangements are implemented to give effect to the directive and ensure full compliance from the effective date.