Bolt denies compensation to family of 22-year old Nigerian driver killed in South Africa

Bolt South Africa has confirmed it will not compensate the family of Isaac Satlat, a Nigerian driver who was killed during an e-hailing trip last week.

The 22-year-old was reportedly murdered by two passengers in an incident captured on a dash cam.

Four suspects have since been arrested and arraigned at the Pretoria Magistrates’ Court.

In a statement shared on its social media platforms, Bolt South Africa expressed condolences to the family and loved ones of Satlat and condemned the killing, adding that it is cooperating with police in the ongoing investigation.

The company said Satlat was not a registered driver on the platform and had allegedly used the profile of another driver, identified as Wiseman Makobe, in what it described as “profile sharing”.

Bolt said the practice is prohibited for safety reasons and renders a driver ineligible for compensation.

“Bolt provides comprehensive support and compensation in cases where drivers are operating lawfully under their own verified profiles. This includes compensation for death, serious injury, and disability, as well as coverage of medical expenses.

“However, where impersonation or profile sharing occurs, the individual is operating unlawfully outside the scope of the platform’s protection. In such cases, compensation policies do not apply,” the statement reads.

The company added that to qualify for driver insurance, drivers must be logged into the app and either en route or on a trip, while the incident must be reported and a police case opened, with medical documentation submitted directly to the company.

Meanwhile, a fundraising campaign on BackaBuddy to support Satlat’s repatriation and funeral expenses has exceeded its R70,000 target, raising over R72,000 from more than 250 donors.