E-hailing driver murder case stuns village of accused

Mphela is one of three accused who appeared before thePretoria magistrate’s courtyesterday alongside Goitsione Machidi and McClaren Mushwana for charges of premeditated murder and robbery with aggravating circumstances. A shocked *Thabang said he and Mphela grew up in the same small village called Rooibok, which is situated just 26km from Mokopane. He said he would have never thought she would be linked to murder because she never exhibited violent tendencies.

“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. Thabang said Mphela was raised by her grandparents and went to Pretoria to live with her mother after completing matric in 2020. However, he did not know what she was doing there but would go back to visit relatives in the village every December.

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“We both attended Mphunye Secondary School and after completing her grade 12, she left to live with her mother in Pretoria. I never knew what she did in Pretoria, but I know she has a four-year-old son,” said Thabang. While Thabang said Mphela used to go back to the village every December, this past festive season he did not see her.

The next time he saw her was in the video of the murder of Satlat. According to Solomon Izang Ashoms, the Satlat’s family representative, their son’s life was cut short just a month before graduating and he would have been in Canada soon pursuing his dreams. He was a student at Divine Favour Progressive College.

“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.

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