E-hailing safety in the spotlight after brutal murder

On 11 February 2026, an e-hailing driver was murdered and robbed of his belongings in his vehicle by three accomplices in Pretoria West at 19:45. 

The incident came to light after a video circulated online. The 22-year-old victim, who has been identified as Isaac Satlat, was on his last trip of the night. 

The three suspects have been identified as Dikeledi Mphela (25), Gotseone Machidi (26), and McClaren Mushwana (30).

The suspects appeared in the Atteridgeville Magistrate’s Court on 16 February 2026. All three elected to abandon their bail bid.

They faced charges of premeditated murder, along with the hijacking of his Suzuki Ertiga and the theft of his cellphone.

The case has been postponed until 23 February 2026. All three suspects remain in custody until their next court appearance.

The video shows the female suspect, Mphela, seated in the passenger seat, suddenly grabbing Satlat. He started trying to push her away, while still keeping the car on the road. 

After a few seconds, one male suspect appeared from behind Satlat and started strangling him. He also hit Satlat with a hard object. 

In an attempt to ward them off, Satlat shone his phone’s flashlight in his attackers’ eyes while trying to grab hold of the object.

After approximately thirty seconds into the attack, Satlat managed to stop the vehicle. The male suspect’s grip tightened around Satlat’s neck. A few seconds later, Satlat lost consciousness. 

The Mphela started using Satlat’s phone to rummage through the car and search for belongings. 

Approximately two minutes after the incident, a second male suspect is seen opening the vehicle’s door.

The other man then helped the two passengers remove Satlat’s body from the vehicle before getting into the driver’s seat himself.

Satlat’s body and the hijacked vehicle were found in Atterridgeville the same day. SAPS spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo confirmed that an investigation is ongoing. 

The video was circulated across multiple news outlets and Facebook community pages, and viewers were urged to help the police identify the suspects. 

Social media users have widely shared images and names they claim belong to the female suspect. The police have not confirmed these. 

Mphela was arrested after she handed herself over to Atteridgeville police. At the time, police were searching for a possible fourth suspect. 

The fourth suspect handed themselves over to the police on Monday evening, 16 February. Their identity is still unknown. 

They are scheduled to appear in the Atteridgeville Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, 17 November. 

“More arrests are imminent as police investigations continue,” said Masondo. 

Masondo urged the public not to circulate the video any further and to remove it from platforms, as it can hamper investigations and traumatise Satlat’s family.  

The Tshwane E-hailing Council has mobilised its members to attend the court proceedings in support of the deceased driver and to call for increased safety measures for operators.

Safety regulations for drivers and passengers

To protect both South African e-hailing drivers and passengers, new regulations are being introduced in 2026.

The regulations under the National Land Transport Amendment Act (NLTA) mandate stricter safety measures for e-hailing. 

These laws aim to formalise the industry, reduce crime, and manage conflicts with the taxi industry.

Some drivers have raised concerns about the costs of compliance and the safety risks associated with mandatory vehicle branding. 

The new laws include the installation of physical safety technology in all e-hailing vehicles. This includes mandatory panic buttons that allow drivers to request rapid emergency assistance. 

Some platforms connect in-app or physical SOS features directly to emergency tech platform AURA’s auto-dispatch platform, which sends the nearest security vehicle to the driver’s location.

Uber South Africa is already using AURA technology for safety features. 

A primary goal of the NTLA is to reduce violent incidents between the e-hailing and traditional taxi industries. 

By recognising e-hailing services as a legitimate public transport category, the law aims to end the era of unregulated competition and extortion. 

Operating licences now specify approved pickup zones. This will help prevent e-hailing drivers from encroaching on taxi territories and, hopefully, reduce the risk of targeted attacks. 

Vehicles must also display visible branding to help law enforcement distinguish legal operators from illegal or unregistered drivers.

The government has faced backlash over these regulations, as many e-hailing drivers believe they would make them easier targets in the “taxi wars”.

Further key protections include legal accountability and protection against vehicle impoundment. 

App companies, such as Uber and Bolt, are now mandated to register with the National Public Transport Regulator (NPTR). 

This crucial step ensures that the platforms are legally accountable for maintaining safety standards for their drivers.

Drivers are also shielded from vehicle impoundment, which was a frequent problem when operating under unsuitable “charter” permits. 

This is achieved by holding the correct, dedicated e-hailing operating license.

To enhance the safety and reputation of the e-hailing industry, mandatory vetting, including criminal record checks, is required for all drivers. 

This measure is intended to reduce conflict between public and other transport operators. 

Additionally, drivers must have a valid Professional Driving Permit (PrDP) to meet national safety and health standards.

This article was written by Zané Steyn