Bolt drivers earned R42.3bn in SA | ITWeb Tech Headlines 29 Sept - 3 Oct 2026
These are the stories making headlines on ITWeb this week. Bolt says it has paid more than R42.3 billion to driver operators in South Africa since launching in 2016, onboarding just over 500 000 drivers and serving more than 30 million passengers. Meanwhile, Home Affairs plans to use machine learning to make yes or no decisions on visa applications through its Electronic Travel Authorisation system, with humans stepping in only when an anomaly is detected, and study and work visas joining in early 2027. In addition, MTN has lost its bid to halt US anti-terrorism lawsuits, with a New York court denying its request to reconsider an earlier ruling and sending the Zobay and Long cases to discovery. At the same time, Xpatweb's preliminary 2026 Critical Skills Survey finds 25% of employers struggle to recruit ICT specialists, and 22% struggle to find AI and emerging technology skills. Finally, Capitec's fintech net income rose 30% to R2.7 billion in the six months to August, as Capitec Connect grew to 1.8 million a
Bolt SA has onboarded 500 000 partner drivers in SA, with billions paid out over the platform’s decade-long local operation.
ITWeb TV: Bolt SA tightens screws after profile-rental fatality | Ep #158
In this episode of ITWeb TV, Simo Kalajdzic, senior operations manager at Bolt South Africa, discusses how a fatal profile-rental incident prompted the e-hailer to strengthen safety controls against driver profile sharing. #Bolt #E-hailing safety #SouthAfrica
Viral dashcam footage exacerbates longstanding e-hailing safety concerns, with drivers calling for stronger verification, policing and platform security measures.
Bolt is taking its e-hailing compliance drive to the provinces, with licensing backlogs, rider verification and relations with the minibus taxi industry high on the agenda.
inDrive expands its pickup technology in SA, to reduce one of the most persistent frustrations in e-hailing.
inDrive aims to ensure e-hailing industry regulation doesn’t impact the market economics to the point of excluding drivers.
ITWeb TV: Inside InDrive’s strategy: e-hailing regulation, safety and superapp ambitions | Ep #149
As South Africa's e-hailing market evolves under new regulatory frameworks, how are the platforms adapting? InDrive’s country representative Ashif Black speaks to ITWeb about the brand’s local footprint, national accreditation, its peer-to-peer pricing, and future plans.
The platforms take steps to manage potential disruptions, protect users and monitor the spread of misinformation linked to the national shutdown to protest against undocumented foreigners.
Uber, Bolt and inDrive fuel SA’s multibillion-rand e-mobility economy, creating hundreds of thousands of earning opportunities and contributing to the country’s GDP.
inDrive is the latest e-hailer to receive approval from the transport department, confirming compliance with SA’s regulations.
The Department of Transport can impound vehicles or deny licences if the platforms ignore registration requirements.
The majority of surveyed ride-hailing users consider the service safer than conventional transport modes, such as buses and traditional taxis.
The new e-hailing management policy seeks to guide how e-hailing and scooter delivery services operate within Johannesburg.
Developers that allow users to use their apps without an operating licence risk a fine of up to R100 000, or up to two years in jail.