Bolt driver murdered in Pretoria West not eligible for compensation after profile sharing

Ride e-hailing platform Bolt says the family of 22-year-old e-hailing driver Isaac Satlat, who was murdered in Pretoria West last week, will not receive compensation, citing his use of another driver’s profile in violation of company policy.

The ride-hailing platform emphasised that its protections and benefits apply only to drivers operating under their own verified accounts.

“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,” said Bolt.

Satlat was attacked by his passengers during an e-hailing trip, and dashcam footage from the vehicle, which was widely circulated on social media, assisted police in identifying the suspects.

Six suspects have been arrested so far and are facing charges of premeditated murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.

Bolt confirmed that profile sharing is strictly prohibited on its platform.

“It undermines passenger trust, compromises safety and violates our agreements with drivers. Bolt has implemented multiple safeguards to combat this practice, including mandatory identity verification, regular in-app selfie checks, device monitoring, data-led risk detection systems and immediate suspension or permanent bans where violations are identified. We continue to strengthen these controls to protect both drivers and riders,” the company said.

Following an internal investigation, Bolt confirmed that Satlat, a Nigerian national, was not the registered owner of the driver profile active at the time of the incident.

“The profile belonged to Wiseman Makobe, a registered driver with an active account on the Bolt platform,” said the company.

“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,” said Bolt.

The company said it is cooperating fully with the police and supporting the investigation.

“We are grateful that the suspects for this horrible crime were apprehended and will be brought to justice,” said Bolt.

Bolt also highlighted the importance of formal regulation for the e-hailing sector in South Africa.

“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,” said Bolt.

This comes as the National Land Transport Amendment Act was introduced by the department of transport, mandating all e-hailing platforms, including Uber and Bolt, to register with the authorities.

The regulations which were gazetted in September 2025, require operators to display proper vehicle branding, install panic buttons and secure licenses for both drivers and platforms.

These measures aim to regulate the rapidly growing e-hailing industry, enhance safety for passengers and drivers and address ongoing tensions between e-hailing services and the traditional taxi industry.

Last year, the government provided a 180-day compliance period for drivers to apply for licences and meet the new requirements.

Non-compliance with the National Land Transport Act can result in severe penalties including fines of as much as R100,000, imprisonment for up to two years and vehicle impoundment.

The company also said it 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.

“We remain focused on safety, accountability and the ongoing strengthening of our platform’s integrity,” the company said.

TimesLIVE