Bolt Pretoria killing statement says Isaac Satlat was not a registered driver and was operating outside platform rules at time of incident
Bolt has stated that Isaac Satlat, the 22-year-old Nigerian student killed in Pretoria, South Africa, was not registered as a driver on its platform and was operating outside its rules at the time of the incident.
Also read: Nigerian student Isaac Satlat killed in South Africa
The company made the disclosure in a statement dated February 17, 2026, following the February 11 killing of Satlat, who was reportedly attacked after picking up passengers in Pretoria.
South African authorities have arrested four suspects in connection with the case. A magistrates’ court has since remanded the suspects pending further proceedings.
In its statement, Bolt expressed condolences to Satlat’s family and confirmed that an internal investigation revealed irregularities concerning the driver profile used for the trip.
According to the company, Satlat was not the registered owner of the Bolt driver account active at the time. The profile belonged to Wiseman Makobe, a registered driver on the platform.
Bolt said that although Mr Makobe completed the required verification process on the day of the incident, Satlat subsequently operated using that profile.
The company described the arrangement as profile sharing, a practice it said is strictly prohibited.
“This constitutes profile sharing. The profile has since been permanently hard-blocked and banned from operating on the platform,” the statement read.
Bolt emphasised that profile sharing undermines passenger trust and compromises safety, adding that it violates contractual agreements with drivers.
The company noted that it has introduced several safeguards, including mandatory identity verification, regular in-app selfie checks, device monitoring and data-led risk detection systems to prevent such breaches.
The Bolt Pretoria killing has intensified scrutiny of safety standards within South Africa’s e-hailing industry, which has faced recurring incidents of robbery, assault and vehicle hijacking involving both drivers and passengers.
Bolt stated that its compensation policies apply only where drivers operate lawfully under their verified profiles. In cases involving impersonation or profile sharing, individuals are deemed to be operating outside the platform’s protections.
The company added that it welcomed the formal regulation of South Africa’s e-hailing sector, describing recent measures as a significant step towards strengthening safety and accountability.
“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,” the statement said.
Also read: Nigerian Emeka Uzor killed in South Africa, NUSA demands justice
Bolt declined to provide further details, citing the need to preserve the integrity of the ongoing investigation.
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
