Three South African nationals have been charged with the murder of Isaac Satlat, a Nigerian e-hailing driver, after graphic dashcam footage of the killing circulated widely on social media, sparking public outrage.
The accused—Dikeledi Mphela, 24; Goitsione Machidi, 25; and McClaren Mushwana, 30—made a brief court appearance in Pretoria on Monday. They subsequently abandoned their bail applications. Police have confirmed that a fourth suspect has surrendered to authorities and is expected to appear in court on Tuesday.
The victim, 22-year-old Isaac Satlat, was a Nigerian national residing in South Africa. His family has stated they do not believe the attack was motivated by his nationality, despite the country’s history of xenophobic violence.
According to prosecutors, the suspects summoned a Bolt ride on February 19 using a phone number that was not registered to any of them. Authorities allege that two of the suspects entered Satlat’s vehicle while the other two followed in a separate car. They reportedly forced him to stop, strangled him to death, and stole his phone and vehicle. The car was later recovered by police.
Dashcam footage of the incident, which has been widely shared online, captures the moment a man and woman struggle with the driver before one passenger appears to choke him until he becomes unresponsive.
Lumka Mahanjana, spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, confirmed that the suspects also face robbery charges in connection with the incident.
The killing has reignited concerns over the safety of e-hailing drivers in South Africa, where attacks on drivers have been increasing amid persistently high crime rates.
