The family of 22-year-old Nigerian student, Isaac David Satlat, is seeking financial assistance to repatriate his body to Nigeria after he was k!lled in Pretoria, South Africa.
Satlat, who worked as an e-hailing driver while studying mobile engineering, was said to be preparing for his graduation next month before the tragic incident.
He was strangled after picking up two passengers in Pretoria West.
His hijacked vehicle and body were reportedly discovered the same day in Atteridgeville.
Speaking on the development, his uncle, Otila Onoja, described the incident as devastating for the family.
“We need funds to take him back home so that he can be laid to rest in his hometown,” he said.
He also called for improved safety measures for gig workers, noting the risks involved in such jobs.
“This is very heartbreaking for us, and we need more safety for other people who are working in this job, like Isaac,” he added.
Police have arrested a woman in connection with the murder and hijacking, while further arrests are said to be expected.
The incident has sparked concern within the Nigerian community in South Africa, especially over the dangers faced by foreign nationals working high-risk jobs.
According to a South African NGC, Women for Change, “Isaac David Satlat, 23, was strangled to d3ath by his passengers during a Bolt trip in Pretoria West on 11 February 2026.
Isaac was working as an e-hailing driver when he was brutally attacked and k!lled by three suspects, Dikeledi Tears Phela, Gositsiane Machidi, and Tinyiko McClaren Mushwana, who had requested an Bolt ride. The hijacked vehicle, with Isaac’s lifeless body inside, was found in Atteridgeville later that same day.
The suspects fled the scene. One of them, a woman, handed herself over to the police after dashcam footage went viral and identified her. The other two suspects were arrested in the days that followed. The three accused abandoned their bail application during their first court appearance and now face charges of premeditated murder, hijacking, and robbery with aggravating circumstances. Police are still searching for a fourth suspect.
Isaac had been completing an automotive mechanical engineering internship in Centurion and was expected to finish in early March this year. We are heartbroken over the loss of such a beautiful soul. #WomenForChange #UnburyTheTruth.”
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