<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-08-07</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001041514</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NET 1 UEPS TECHNOLOGIES INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>UEPS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001301354</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Belamant Serge</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>PRESIDENT PLACE, 4TH FLOOR CNR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>JAN SMUTS AVENUE AND BOLTON ROAD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ROSEBANK, JOHANNESBURG</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>T3</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>RSA</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>SOUTH AFRICA</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chief Executive Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-08-07</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>40000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1340822</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>800799</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By CI Law Trustees Limited for the San Roque Trust</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents a grant of restricted stock approved by the remuneration committee of the Issuer's board of directors pursuant to the Amended and Restated 2004 Stock Incentive Plan.  Subject to the satisfaction of certain vesting conditions related to the Issuer's financial performance and the recipient's continuous employment or service with the Issuer or its affiliates, one-third of the shares will vest on each of September 1, 2009, 2010 and 2011.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">1,150,823 shares of Special Convertible Preferred Stock are held by The Aplitec Holdings Participation Trust for the benefit of Dr. Belamant and are convertible, on a one-for-one basis, into shares of common stock at the discretion of Dr. Belamant. Dr. Belamant owns 189,999 shares of common stock directly. 800,799 shares of common stock are held by the CI Law Trustees Limited for the San Roque Trust dated 8/18/92. Dr. Belamant, as proxy of CI Law Trustees, has the power to vote all of the CI Law Trustees' shares.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Serge Belamant</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-08-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
