WATCH | E-hailing community rallies for justice after murder of driver

The Pretoria magistrate’s court gallery was packed with e-hailing drivers when three people made their first appearance for allegedly being behind the murder of 22-year-old e-hailing driver Isaac Satlat.

Satlat was killed last Wednesday after two of the suspects requested an e-hailing service in Pretoria West. The hijacked vehicle and the victim’s body were found in Atteridgeville on the same day. His murder was captured on a dashcam, and the video has gone viral on social media.

Dikeledi Mphela, Goitsione Machidi and McClaren Mushwana have been charged with premeditated murder and robbery with aggravated circumstances.

The matter was postponed to February 23 for bail investigation despite the suspects having abandoned their bail applications.

Prosecutor Christopher Maruma said they noted the suspects’ decision, but the date would remain set aside for bail purposes anyway.

“This, my lord, will give the suspects time to reconsider and think over the decision to abandon their bail,” Maruma said.

Machidi and Mushwana have been remanded to the Noord Police Station cells, while Mphela is being held at Kgosi Mampuru II Correctional Centre.

Outside the court, e-hailing drivers, friends, union representatives and family members gathered in large numbers, showing their support and frustration over the incident.

E-hailing driver Tshepiso Kodibona said the incident, regardless of Satlat’s nationality, echoed the daily fears drivers face.

“The last time, one of our drivers had his car hijacked, and now we have this. And the people who hijacked him, it’s unfortunate that they are now walking around outside as if nothing happened. We’ve had many of these incidents.

“We want to see this kind of behaviour end, where, when they see a driver, they see someone trying to make a living for their children. We don’t want to see this repeating itself. It seems like in Pretoria West we are being targeted regularly,” he said.

Sowetan