Viral E-Hailing Driver Murder: Village In Shock As Woman, Dikeledi Mphela, Appears In Pretoria Court

A quiet village in Limpopo has been left stunned after one of its own appeared in court over the brutal killing of an e-hailing driver — a crime that was captured on camera and widely shared online.

Dikeledi Mphela is among three accused who stood before the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Monday, facing charges of premeditated murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances linked to the death of Isaac Satlat.

The case has shaken both the accused’s rural community and the victim’s loved ones, who are still grappling with the tragedy.

Limpopo Village Reacts to Arrest of Dikeledi Mphela

Mphela grew up in Rooibok, a small village about 26km from Mokopane. A neighbour, who asked to be identified as Thabang*, said the news of her arrest left residents speechless.

“I didn’t expect to see Dikeledi Mphela trending on social media, much less linked to the murder,” he said.

According to Thabang, they attended Mphunye Secondary School together before she completed matric in 2020 and relocated to Pretoria to live with her mother.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: No Bail For E-Hailing Driver Murder Accused As Angry Protests Rock Pretoria Court

“We grew up with her and she never really struck me as a rough person. The whole community surely knows this and I’m sure even her grandparents heard about it. And truly speaking, we’re all shocked. In our eyes, she was just sweet, the most peaceful person,” he said.

He added that Mphela, who has a four-year-old son, usually returned to the village during the December holidays. However, he did not see her this past festive season.

The next time he saw her, he said, was in the widely circulated video of Satlat’s killing.

Mphela appeared in court alongside Goitsione Machidi and McClaren Mushwana. All three face charges of premeditated murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances.

Family of Isaac Satlat (E-Hailing Driver) Speaks Out

Satlat’s death has devastated his family, who say his life was filled with promise. Solomon Izang Ashoms, speaking on behalf of the family, said the young man’s future was bright.

He explained that Satlat was a student at Divine Favour Progressive College and was due to graduate next month in automobile engineering.

“A lot of people came out today [to court] because of the type of person Isaac was, someone sociable, someone relatable.

“He was not a difficult person. He didn’t seek attention or try to create drama. And that’s a reflection of who he was.

“He was also hard working, he was. He would do it [e-hailing] after school or after his internship, which he was doing before this happened. He was due to graduate next month. He was studying automobile engineering. The plan, to be honest with you, was to take him back to Nigeria so he could then go to Canada and continue his studies. His life was cut short,” he said.

Ashoms described the court appearance as a step in the right direction but admitted he felt conflicted emotions.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Explosive R75 Million Water Tender Scandal: 9 Arrested In Alfred Nzo Municipality Crackdown

“We also appreciate the two most important charges that are there: premeditated murder. It definitely exposes that this was something that was planned … When I saw them [the accused] for the first time, to be honest with you, one of the things I felt was pity. I was looking at one of them, so young and asking myself, ‘Why would you end up there?’”

He added that the family wants clarity about what drove the attack.

“So the problem is not just the crime. The problem is what motivated the crime. How did they [the perpetrators] even get to a place where they accepted that they could do something like this to get what they wanted?“

Fourth Suspect Arrested as Repatriation Fund Grows

Gauteng police confirmed that a fourth suspect handed himself over to Atteridgeville Police Station on Monday, just hours after the three accused appeared in court.

Police spokesperson Colonel Mavela Masondo said the man is expected to appear before the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday on charges of carjacking and murder.

Meanwhile, a BackaBuddy crowdfunding campaign has been launched to assist with repatriating Satlat’s body to Nigeria. More than R40,000 has already been raised towards the R70,000 target.

As investigations continue, both communities — in Limpopo and Pretoria — remain gripped by shock over a case that has sparked widespread outrage across social media.

*Not his real name.