E-hailing company Bolt has revealed that Isaac Satlat, the Nigerian student murdered by suspected carjackers in Pretoria, South Africa, was not registered as a driver on its platform and was operating illegally at the time of the incident.
On February 11, 2026, Satlat, 22, was reported to have been slain after being strangled by passengers he was picking up.
Four suspects have since been detained by South African authorities, and a magistrates’ court has remanded them.
Bolt sent their sympathies to the deceased’s family in a message posted on its verified Facebook page on February 17, 2026.
Additionally, the business acknowledged that anomalies pertaining to the driver profile utilized during the journey were discovered by its internal inquiry.
Bolt gave specifics of its conclusions, stating that Satlat was not the driver account’s registered owner at the time of the occurrence.
According to the statement, at the time of the event, the deceased Satlat was sharing profiles with another driver.
“Following our internal investigation, we can confirm that the victim has been identified as Isaac Satlat, a 22-year-old Nigerian national. Satlat was not the registered owner of the Bolt driver profile that was active at the time of the incident.
“The profile belonged to Wiseman Makobe, a registered driver with an active account on the Bolt platform. 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.”
Court remands killers of South Africa based Nigerian student
Police arrest woman over Nigerian driver’s murder in South Africa
According to Bolt, profile sharing—the act of a registered driver granting another person access to their account—is absolutely forbidden by company rules since it compromises platform integrity and passenger safety.
“Profile sharing is strictly prohibited on the Bolt platform. It undermines passenger trust, compromises safety, and violates our agreements with drivers,” the statement read.
The business went on to say that it had put in place a number of measures to stop these kinds of activities, such as data-led risk detection systems, frequent in-app selfie checks, required identity verification, and device tracking.
The statement noted, “Bolt provides comprehensive support and compensation in cases where drivers are operating lawfully under their own verified profiles. This includes compensation in the event of death, serious injury, disability, and coverage of medical expenses.
“However, where impersonation or profile sharing occurs, the individual is operating unlawfully and outside the scope of the platform’s protections. In such cases, compensation policies do not apply.”
The move coincides with increased scrutiny of safety in South Africa’s e-hailing industry, which has seen robberies, assaults, and vehicle hijackings involving drivers and passengers in recent years.
Bolt expressed its approval of the official regulation of the South African e-hailing sector, characterizing the new regulations as a step in the right direction toward increased safety and accountability.
The statement added, “Bolt continues to operate in South Africa, one of our largest markets globally. We welcome the formal regulation of the e-hailing sector and view the new regulations as an important milestone in strengthening certainty, safety, and accountability across the industry.
“Bolt is fully committed to aligning with the regulatory framework and collaborating closely with all spheres of government and relevant stakeholders to support drivers, protect livelihoods, and ensure compliance.”
The company stated that it would not disclose further details to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation.
