South African Trio Charged Over Bolt Driver’s Dashcam-Recorded Murder
Dashcam footage of the fatal attack sparks outrage and renewed safety calls for e-hailing drivers. Tags:
- Three suspects charged with murder and robbery; fourth to appear in court.
- Dashcam video of the attack widely shared on social media.
- Drivers demand stronger security measures and passenger verification.
Three South Africans have been charged with murder following the killing of an e-hailing driver whose death, captured on dashcam footage, has sparked widespread outrage.
The victim, 22-year-old Isaac Satlat, was attacked during a trip booked through ride-hailing platform Bolt. A video circulating on social media shows a man and a woman struggling with Satlat inside the vehicle. He attempts to resist before one of the passengers appears to strangle him until he becomes unresponsive.
The suspects — 24-year-old Dikeledi Mphela, 25-year-old Goitsione Machidi and 30-year-old McClaren Mushwana — appeared in court in Pretoria on Monday after their weekend arrest. They have abandoned their bail applications and were not asked to enter pleas.
A fourth suspect handed himself over to police on Monday and is expected to appear in court on Tuesday. All four face both murder and robbery charges.
According to prosecutors, the accused used a phone number not registered in their names to request the ride last Wednesday. Authorities allege that Mphela and the fourth suspect entered Satlat’s vehicle, while Machidi and Mushwana followed in a separate car.
The group allegedly forced Satlat to stop, strangled him and stole his mobile phone and vehicle. The car has since been recovered, prosecutors said.
Although Satlat was a Nigerian national, his family has stated that the killing was not linked to xenophobia, a recurring issue in South Africa.
The case has intensified concerns over the safety of e-hailing drivers in a country battling high crime rates and one of the world’s highest murder levels. Drivers have repeatedly called for stronger protection measures.
The E-hailing Partners’ Council condemned the killing, describing it as part of a broader pattern rather than an isolated incident. While acknowledging the role of dashcam footage and social media in identifying suspects, the group renewed calls for stronger preventive security systems and better passenger verification by ride-hailing companies.
Outside the courthouse on Monday, political parties and e-hailing drivers staged a protest demanding justice for Satlat. Some drivers urged the government to establish a dedicated task force to address attacks on drivers and introduce compensation schemes for families of those killed while working.
Family spokesperson Solomon Izang Ashoms said Satlat’s relatives were devastated and struggling to cope with the loss.
The case has been postponed to next Monday as investigations continue.
