The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport has handed over 529 operating licences to public transport operators across all five regions of the province, reaffirming its commitment to strengthen regulatory compliance, improve passenger safety and promote a legally operated public transport industry.
The handovers were conducted over two days at the Department’s Head office and the Tshwane Regional offices in Koedoespoort, benefiting compliant minibus taxi and other public transport operators.
The initiative forms part of the provincial government’s broader strategy to improve regulatory oversight, accelerate the processing of operating licence applications, address the existing backlog, and ensure that public transport operators conduct their businesses in accordance with the law.
Gauteng MEC for Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, said the Department was intensifying efforts to ensure that compliant operators receive their operating licences and that the public transport sector meets the required regulatory standards.
“We are committed to ensuring that public transport operators conduct their businesses legally. We have started issuing operating licences to taxi and other public transport operators across the province, and we will continue with these weekly handover programmes, reaching different regions of Gauteng,” said MEC Diale-Tlabela.
The MEC said the Department was making progress in addressing the operating licence backlog and encouraged operators whose applications were still outstanding to engage directly with the Department to verify their status and regularise their operations.
“We are appealing to taxi operators who are not yet operating legally to visit our offices to apply for operating licences or verify the status of their applications. We want to assist operators to become compliant and ensure that they operate within the law,” she said.
The Department emphasised that achieving a fully compliant public transport industry requires cooperation between government and operators. While the Department remains committed to improving application processing and addressing the backlog, operators also have a responsibility to ensure that they meet all regulatory requirements and possess valid operating documentation.
“As the Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport, we will continue working to ensure that public transport operators conduct their businesses legally. We are addressing the backlog and remain committed to ensuring that every compliant operator receives their operating license,” the MEC added.
The Department will continue rolling out operating licence handover programmes across the five regions as part of ongoing efforts to promote a regulated, accountable and safer public transport industry.
SUPPLIED.
