Thousands of SA Uber Drivers Face Uncertain Future After UberX Axe
- Uber officially discontinued its UberX service in South Africa on 1 September 2026, affecting thousands of e-hailing drivers
- The National E-Hailing Federation of South Africa warned that more than 60% of its drivers may not qualify for Uber's remaining ride categories
- NEFSA spokesperson Tela Masakale said the figure could be even higher, with drivers who rent older vehicles facing the greatest risk of losing their income
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SOUTH AFRICA - Thousands of South African e-hailing drivers are facing an uncertain future after Uber discontinued its UberX service in the country. The National E-Hailing Federation of South Africa (NEFSA) has raised the alarm, warning that a significant portion of its members could be left without work as a result of the change.
According to IOL, Uber officially switched off UberX on 1 September 2026. The company said the decision was about streamlining its product lineup, having found that drivers were frequently using the same vehicles across Uber Go, UberX and Uber Comfort. Drivers remain eligible to operate on any category their vehicle qualifies for, including Uber Go, Uber Comfort, Uber Black, UberXL and Van.
Drivers who rent may struggle most
NEFSA spokesperson Tela Masakale said the federation's concern centres on drivers whose vehicles simply do not meet the requirements for any of Uber's remaining services. Each category carries its own vehicle standards, and cars that qualified under UberX may not automatically fit another tier.
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Masakale said the hardest-hit group is likely to be drivers who rent their vehicles rather than own them. These drivers already carry high operating costs, covering rental fees, fuel and other day-to-day expenses, leaving little financial cushion if they lose access to the platform.
More than 60% could be affected
NEFSA is still gathering data on the full scale of the disruption, but Masakale said preliminary indications suggest more than 60% of its drivers could be affected. She added that the real figure may turn out to be even higher once the research is complete.
The federation has called for deeper engagement with Uber over its pricing structure and the way it manages changes to its ride categories. NEFSA's concern is that drivers were given limited time to adapt to a shift that could permanently alter their livelihoods.
UberX previously sat in the middle of Uber's offering, positioned above entry-level options and below premium tiers, making it accessible for everyday commuters and a practical choice for a broad range of vehicles. Its removal narrows the options available to drivers whose cars fall into that mid-range category.
Uber faced a shutdown in February 2026
Previously, Briefly News reported that e-hailing giants, including Uber and Bolt, risk breaching South Africa's new transport regulations within weeks, as none had yet secured full registration under the new regime.The Department of Transport gazetted the long-awaited rules in September 2025, introducing stricter requirements for platforms and drivers. The regulations compel operators to brand vehicles, increase transparency around driver information, create a dedicated licensing category for e-hailing permits and install panic buttons in vehicles.
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Source: Briefly News
