Gauteng warns over 400 public transport licences uncollected deadline set for August

The Gauteng Department of Roads and Transport says more than 400 valid public transport operating licences remain uncollected, and operators have been given a firm deadline to retrieve them or risk cancellation.

Who is affected and what is the deadline?

The department’s Member of the Executive Council (MEC) of Roads and Transport, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, appealed to transportation operators who applied for operating licences particularly minibus and scholar transport operators to collect their licences. Operators who have received an SMS or communication through their associations have until 14 August 2026 to collect the documents.

Consequences if licences are not collected

The MEC warned that uncollected licences may be cancelled. As she put it:

“Failure to act within the stipulated period may result in the cancellation of the issued operating licence, requiring operators to restart the process in accordance with applicable legislation.”

Department response to industry challenges

The department said it has been prioritising the issuance of licences to reduce industry challenges, including backlogs and illegal driving. Diale-Tlabela urged prompt collection, saying:

“We are calling on applicants, particularly minibus and scholar transport operators, to collect their operating licenses.”

She added:

“We encourage them to collect their operating licences without delay, so they can continue to operate legally and contribute to safer roads across Gauteng.”

Progress so far

The department has already issued 208 operating licences to compliant public transport operators at the Derek Masoek Regional Office in Johannesburg. It also noted that since November 2025, more than 2 000 valid operating licences have been handed over to compliant minibus taxi and scholar transport operators.

Official stance

MEC Diale-Tlabela reiterated the department’s commitment to regulatory compliance and to facilitating a more efficient, transparent and responsive public transport system.