Gauteng issues 529 public transport licences, more handovers planned

A total of 529 operating licences have been given to public transport operators in Gauteng, as the provincial government works to clear a backlog of applications, according to SAnews.

The licences were issued over two days at the department’s head office and at the Tshwane Regional offices in Koedoespoort. They went to compliant minibus taxi operators and other public transport operators, and covered all five of the province’s regions.

Why the department is doing this

Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, who leads the Gauteng roads and transport portfolio as MEC, said the handovers are meant to tighten oversight of the industry and to get applications processed faster. They are also meant to help deal with the existing backlog, SAnews reported.

She said government wants operators to run their businesses legally. The department has begun issuing licences across Gauteng, and the MEC said “we will continue with these weekly handover programmes” in other regions of the province.

The department described the exercise as part of a wider provincial plan to make sure public transport operators work within the law. It also said that building a fully compliant industry needs cooperation between government and the operators themselves.

What operators are being asked to do

Diale-Tlabela urged operators whose applications are still outstanding to contact the department directly. They can check where their application stands and sort out their paperwork so that they can operate legally.

She also appealed to operators who are not yet legal to go to the department’s offices, either to apply for a licence or to confirm the status of an earlier application. According to the report, the aim is to help operators become compliant.

The department stressed that the responsibility does not rest on government alone. While it works on speeding up processing and reducing the backlog, operators must still meet the regulatory requirements and hold valid operating documentation.

The MEC said the department remains committed to making sure every compliant operator receives their licence.

What this means for operators and commuters

• Operators who applied and are still waiting should contact the department to check their application status.
• Those who have not applied can approach the department’s offices to start the process.
• Handovers are planned weekly and will move between different regions of Gauteng, so more licences are expected to be issued in the coming weeks.

For commuters, the department says the drive is intended to improve passenger safety by bringing more operators into the legal, regulated system. The source did not give a date for the next handover or say which region will be next.

This story is based on reporting by SAnews.