Bolt SA Confirms Slain Nigerian Driver Was Operating Illegally

Bolt South Africa has confirmed that the murdered e-hailing driver, Isaac Satlat, was not registered and illegally used a profile belonging to another.

The foreign national was killed by passengers in a shocking video caught on a dash cam.

Three suspects appeared in Pretoria Magistrates Court on Monday, 16 February, on charges of murder and hijacking. A fourth suspect has since been arrested.

In a statement posted on its social media platforms, Bolt South Africa offered its condolences to the family and loved ones of driver Isaac Satlalt.

The e-hailing company condemned the murder, stating it was working with police in the ongoing investigation.

Bolt revealed that Satlat – a 22-year-old Nigerian – was not a registered driver. It added that the late foreign national had illegally used the profile of another driver, a man identified as Wiseman Makobe.

In all likelihood, Setlat paid Makobe to use his profile in order to utilise the app as a driver – a practice that e-hailing companies strongly condemn.

It shared: “On the day of the incident, Mr. Makobe completed the required verification process, after which Mr. Satlat operated using that profile. This constitutes profile sharing. The profile has since been permanently hard-blocked and banned from operating on the platform.

It added: “Profile sharing is strictly prohibited on the Bolt platform. It undermines passenger trust, compromises safety, and violates our agreements with drivers”.

Bolt revealed it had implemented multiple safeguards to curb the practice, including mandatory identity verification, regular in-app selfie checks, device monitoring, and data-led risk detection systems. Drivers who contravene this rule can face immediate suspension and permanent bans.

WHO WAS ISAAC SATLAT?

Isaac Satlat was a 22-year-old Nigerian foreign national who lived and studied in South Africa.

According to accounts by family members, Satlat completed a qualification in automotive mechanical engineering and was set to graduate next month. He was on a study visa, which permits individuals to work for up to 20 hours per week.

In December, he was hired by the owner of the vehicle he drove to become a Bolt driver.

On Wednesday, 11 February, he was attacked by two individuals who requested a ride on the e-hailing app. Two other individuals in another car were involved in the coordinated attack.

Satlat’s body was found in Atteridgeville, a township located outside Pretoria. His family are hoping to raise funds via a BackaBuddy campaign to have his remains repatriated.