Three Charged Over Killing of Nigerian Bolt Driver in Pretoria

Three South Africans have been charged with murder following the killing of 22-year-old Nigerian e-hailing driver Isaac Satlat, after dashcam footage of the attack circulated widely on social media and sparked public outrage.

The suspects — Dikeledi Mphela, 24; Goitsione Machidi, 25; and McClaren Mushwana, 30 — appeared briefly before the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday 16th February, where they abandoned their bail applications. Police have confirmed that a fourth suspect has since handed himself over and is expected to appear in court on Tuesday.

According to prosecutors, the suspects ordered a ride through the ride-hailing platform, Bolt, last Wednesday using a phone number not registered to any of them. Authorities allege that two of the suspects entered Satlat’s vehicle while the other two followed behind in a separate car. They are accused of forcing him to stop, strangling him, and robbing him of his phone and vehicle. The vehicle was later recovered.

Dashcam footage of the incident, which has been widely shared online, appears to show a man and a woman struggling with the driver before one of the passengers restrains him until he becomes unresponsive. The video has intensified scrutiny over the safety of ride-hailing drivers operating in South Africa’s high-crime environment. The National Prosecuting Authority confirmed that the accused are facing both murder and robbery charges.

Satlat, a Nigerian national living in South Africa, was described by family representatives as a young man working to build a future. His family has said the attack was not connected to his nationality, despite the country’s history of xenophobic violence targeting foreign nationals, but the event has nonetheless sparked xeniphobic vitriol from South Africans.

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has condemned the killing, stating that the increasing rate of criminality and killings of Nigerians in South Africa was worrisome and calls for serious concern.

The killing has renewed concern among drivers and labour groups about the risks associated with e-hailing work. The E-Hailing Partners Council condemned the murder, describing it as part of a troubling pattern rather than an isolated case, and called for stronger safety protections. The group urged ride-hailing companies to improve passenger vetting and verification systems to prevent criminals from posing as customers.

On Monday, drivers and members of political parties gathered outside the courthouse in protest, calling for urgent government intervention. Speaking to local broadcaster Newzroom Afrika, one driver called for the creation of a special task team to tackle attacks on e-hailing drivers and demanded compensation for families of drivers killed while working.

A spokesperson for the victim’s family, Solomon Izang Ashoms, said Satlat’s father has been deeply affected by the loss. “His dad is struggling. We are very afraid for him because his blood pressure has been shooting up since the death,” he said.

The case against the three accused has been adjourned until next Monday as investigations continue. 

As the investigation unfolds, the case has become both a criminal trial and a focal point in the wider conversation about safety, accountability, and the risks faced by gig economy workers in South Africa.