R33 ride turns deadly: E-hailing driver Isaac Satlat killed weeks before graduation

A routine e-hailing trip worth a mere R33 turned deadly for 22-year-old Isaac Satlat, an automobile engineering student whose life was cut short during a shift last week.

Satlat was transporting two passengers when he was strangled and killed.

In a heartbreaking detail shared by those close to the family, the fare for the ride that cost Isaac his life was only R33.

Family and friends told EWN that Isaac was just weeks away from a major milestone. He was scheduled to graduate in March, the same month as his 23rd birthday and had plans to relocate back to Nigeria to reunite with his mother and siblings, whom he had not seen since 2016.

They described the deceased as a humble and sociable young man who was deeply involved in his community. A member of Winners Chapel International, he was a former Sunday school student who grew into a big brother figure to many.

“He was very creative with his hands,” said family spokesperson Solomon Ashooms. “He loved automobile engineering because he loved to create. He was not a complicated person; people who met him loved him.”

ALSO READ: Don't make this a South African against Nigerian issue - says slain e-hailing driver's family

Family of slain e-hailing driver seeks funds to repatriate remains to Nigeria

Suspects make first court appearance

Dikeledi Tears Mphela (25), Goitsione Machidi (26) and McClaren Mushwana (30) - faced a packed courtroom on Monday.

The three suspects who are linked to the brutal strangling and hijacking of the 22-year-old opted to abandon their bid for bail, ensuring they remain in custody as the case proceeds.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) levelled serious charges against them, including premeditated murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.

The state alleges that the attack was not a spontaneous act of violence but a planned robbery that ended in the senseless death of the young student.

The breakthrough in the case came through a combination of digital evidence and community action. A dashcam video from inside Isaac’s vehicle, which captured the chilling moments of the attack, went viral on social media, providing the public and police with clear images of the perpetrators.

On Friday, 13 February, the first suspect, Dikeledi Mphela, was taken into custody. Reports indicate she may have handed herself in following immense pressure.

Over the weekend, two additional male suspects were apprehended by the South African Police Service (SAPS) in connection with the crime. On Monday, police confirmed that the search continues for a fourth suspect believed to be involved in the incident.

Attorney Smart Nwobi, President of the Nigerian Union in South Africa, expressed the community's collective grief and demand for accountability:

“This is a future that has been cut short. A person the family trained from Grade R until varsity. We are asking for justice, to send a strong message that you don't just take human life and expect to go scot-free,” he said.

Grief stricken family

At the same time, Satlat's father's health has reportedly deteriorated following the news. Meanwhile, his mother and two siblings in Nigeria await the repatriation of his remains.

Community members, the Nigerian Union and the Nigerian Ambassador to South Africa are mobilising to raise funds to send Satlat's body back to Nigeria.

While the legal process has begun swiftly, the family notes that true closure will only come when those responsible are held fully accountable for a life stolen over the price of a small meal.

Justice for Isaac

Inside the courtroom, the atmosphere was heavy with grief and resolve.

The gallery was filled with members of the Nigerian Union, e-hailing driver associations and concerned citizens who picketed outside holding signs demanding “Justice for Isaac.”

Despite the victim's nationality, Isaac’s family has made a poignant plea for the tragedy not to be used to fuel social divisions. Family spokesperson Solomon Ashooms stated that Isaac’s father specifically requested that the public view this as an act of pure criminality rather than a xenophobic attack.

“The dad said we must make sure that this issue does not get to a place where it becomes a Nigeria versus South Africa thing,” Ashooms said, emphasising that such a crime could happen to anyone.

The case has been postponed to 23 February 2026 for further bail investigation and to allow the state to finalise its case.