Sema Fonkem 16 Feb 2026

Four South Africans have been charged for the killing of Isaac Satlat, a 22-year old Nigerian student and Bolt e-hailing driver.

The incident occurred on Wednesday 11, 2026 in Pretoria West, Gauteng Province South Africa.

A dashboard camera video circulating on social media shows Satlat struggling with two passengers, a male and a female, as they strangulate him and move his body to the rear seat of his vehicle.

Three suspects who were arrested by members of South African Police Service (SAPS) have appeared in Pretoria Magistrate’s court and abandon their bail application. A fourth suspect who later handed himself over to authorities is still being processed and will appear in court on Tuesday, February 16, 2026.

According investigations, Dikeledi Mphala, 24, Goitsione Machidi, 25 and McClaren Mushwana, 30 and the fourth suspect whose identity is still withheld requested a Bolt e-hailing ride.

When Satlat arrived, Mphala and the unnamed fourth suspect got into the car and forced him to stop the trip.

The deceased was strangled and robbed of his cellphone and the car which was later recovered. Police say Machidi and Mushwana followed them in a separate car.

Satlat’s family and loved ones are devastated by this very sad news. His father who suffers from high blood pressure was rushed to the hospital and is barely coping after hearing about his son’s demise.

E-hailing drivers continue to face a surge in violent attacks across South Africa. At least 70 drivers have been reported killed since 2025.

The South African Ride Hailing Association (SARIDEHA) with over 1500 registered members is giving full support to Satlat’s family. The organisation continues to call on government to set up a task team to deal with attacks on their drivers.

The case has been postponed to February 23, 2026 for further investigations.

Present outside the court was a number of people including members of various political parties, former classmates and drivers who came in support of Satlat.