Three South Africans have been charged with murder following the killing of an e-hailing driver in a case that has shocked the country after dashcam footage of the attack circulated widely on social media.
The victim, 22-year-old Isaac Satlat, was killed last Wednesday in Pretoria. Video from inside the vehicle appears to show a man and a woman struggling with him in what police say was a robbery. Satlat is seen attempting to fight back before one of the passengers allegedly strangles him until he goes limp.
The three accused — Dikeledi Mphela, 24, Goitsione Machidi, 25, and McClaren Mushwana, 30 — were arrested over the weekend and appeared briefly in court in Pretoria on Monday. They have abandoned their bail applications. A fourth suspect handed himself over to police on Monday and is due to appear in court on Tuesday. All four also face robbery charges.
According to prosecutors, the suspects ordered a ride through the e-hailing platform Bolt using a phone number not registered in their names. Authorities allege that Mphela and the fourth suspect entered the vehicle, while Machidi and Mushwana followed in a separate car.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Lumka Mahanjana said the group then forced Satlat to stop the vehicle, strangled him and stole his cellphone and car, which was later recovered.
Satlat was a Nigerian national. In a country that has previously experienced outbreaks of xenophobic violence, his family said there was no indication that the killing was linked to his nationality.
The case has reignited concerns about the safety of e-hailing drivers in South Africa, which struggles with high levels of violent crime and one of the highest murder rates globally. Drivers have repeatedly called for stronger protection measures.
The E-hailing Partners Council condemned the killing, saying it was not an isolated incident. The organisation said the dashcam footage and the role of social media had been crucial in identifying suspects, but reiterated calls for stronger preventative security measures.
It also urged e-hailing companies to improve passenger vetting and verification processes to prevent criminals posing as customers.
On Monday, e-hailing drivers and representatives of several political parties gathered outside the Pretoria courthouse in protest. One driver, quoted by local broadcaster Newzroom Afrika, called for the government to establish a dedicated task team to address attacks on drivers and to create a compensation system for families of those killed while working.
Family spokesperson Solomon Izang Ashoms said Satlat’s relatives were struggling to cope with the loss.
“His dad is struggling. We are very worried about him because his blood pressure has been rising since the death,” he said.
The case has been postponed to next Monday as investigations continue.
