'Kind' Brit doctor shot dead in South Africa was on holiday with wife and son, 2
Kar was born in Singapore but had British nationality
Kar Hao Teoh, 40, was on holiday with his wife Sara and two-year-old son Hugo when they took a wrong turn after driving into Cape Town's Nyanga township close to the city's international airport on Thursday last week
Kar was born in Singapore but had British nationality (
Image: Justgiving)
By
Rachel HaganWorld News Reporter
Kar Hao Teoh, 40, was on holiday with his wife Sara and two-year-old son Hugo when they took a wrong turn after driving into Cape Town's Nyanga township close to the city's international airport on Thursday last week. The vehicle was then approached by a group before a gun was fired.
Kar was born in Singapore but had British nationality and was one of five who died in violence during the strike which has been going on for a week. Kar lived in Bishops Stortford with his family and was based at the NHS Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow. He had been awarded a number of awards for his work as a trauma and orthopaedic consultant. ·
Tributes have poured in for the well liked doctor
One friend wrote: "This tall lanky Chinese guy with a distinctive mark on his left cheek, always with a ready smile. All his teachers loved him." ( Image: Facebook)
An outpouring of grief and love for Kar has been spreading on social media with hundreds of comments shocked at the news. "The unexpected passing of my close friend has left me deeply shaken", wrote surgeon Bedri Karaismailoglu. While Kartik Hariharan said: "Devasting news. Unable to digest the terrible reality that I won't see Kar again."
Danny Wong wrote: "Kar Hao's last few messages to me were pictures of his safari trip, a picture of some crocodiles and elephants in the marsh. And also some pictures of the outdoor cooker he bought so his in-laws could have a wet kitchen to cook in. We talked about how he could install an awning outside in his garden so the cooker could be used outdoors in the shade.
"Everyone knew who Kar Hao was in school. You could never miss him in a crowd. This tall lanky Chinese guy with a distinctive mark on his left cheek, always with a ready smile. All his teachers loved him. His friends in school all liked him. This is all so unfair, Sara has lost a wonderful husband and Hugo has lost a loving father."
Ministry spokesperson, Lirandzu Themba, confirmed the news yesterday, saying: "The doctor was driving with two other persons in the vehicle. From the airport, he apparently took a wrong turn off and headed towards Nyanga. A number of suspects approached his vehicle, shot and killed him. No arrests yet."
The group of striking taxi drivers allegedly demanded that the doctor pay a toll but he refused. The taxi drivers became angry and then opened fire on him, Opera News reported. The British Foreign Office said it was "supporting the family of a British man who has died in South Africa" and issued a travel alert about the unrest.
The embassy urged people to "consider delaying their journey" due to the ongoing minicab taxi strikes in the Cape Town area. It continued: "These strikes have the potential to turn violent and may impact multiple areas including journeys to and from the airport. Check for any disruption on your route before travelling, avoid violent protests and try to stick to major routes. Be aware that GPS services could divert you into less secure areas or into ongoing protests."
The week-long strike was called in response to what drivers said were "heavy-handed tactics" by law enforcement authorities who were impounding cars for minor offences. The South African Ministry of Police said 120 people had been arrested since the strikes began and they were also reports of looting, stone throwing and arson. Nyanga is one of the most dangerous places in South Africa where 74 people are murdered every day.
Kar was born in Singapore but had British nationality
Kar Hao Teoh, 40, was on holiday with his wife Sara and two-year-old son Hugo when they took a wrong turn after driving into Cape Town's Nyanga township close to the city's international airport on Thursday last week
Kar was born in Singapore but had British nationality (
Image: Justgiving)
By
Rachel HaganWorld News Reporter
- 09:02, 10 Aug 2023
- UPDATED 09:31, 10 Aug 2023
Kar Hao Teoh, 40, was on holiday with his wife Sara and two-year-old son Hugo when they took a wrong turn after driving into Cape Town's Nyanga township close to the city's international airport on Thursday last week. The vehicle was then approached by a group before a gun was fired.
Kar was born in Singapore but had British nationality and was one of five who died in violence during the strike which has been going on for a week. Kar lived in Bishops Stortford with his family and was based at the NHS Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow. He had been awarded a number of awards for his work as a trauma and orthopaedic consultant. ·
An outpouring of grief and love for Kar has been spreading on social media with hundreds of comments shocked at the news. "The unexpected passing of my close friend has left me deeply shaken", wrote surgeon Bedri Karaismailoglu. While Kartik Hariharan said: "Devasting news. Unable to digest the terrible reality that I won't see Kar again."
Danny Wong wrote: "Kar Hao's last few messages to me were pictures of his safari trip, a picture of some crocodiles and elephants in the marsh. And also some pictures of the outdoor cooker he bought so his in-laws could have a wet kitchen to cook in. We talked about how he could install an awning outside in his garden so the cooker could be used outdoors in the shade.
"Everyone knew who Kar Hao was in school. You could never miss him in a crowd. This tall lanky Chinese guy with a distinctive mark on his left cheek, always with a ready smile. All his teachers loved him. His friends in school all liked him. This is all so unfair, Sara has lost a wonderful husband and Hugo has lost a loving father."
Ministry spokesperson, Lirandzu Themba, confirmed the news yesterday, saying: "The doctor was driving with two other persons in the vehicle. From the airport, he apparently took a wrong turn off and headed towards Nyanga. A number of suspects approached his vehicle, shot and killed him. No arrests yet."
The group of striking taxi drivers allegedly demanded that the doctor pay a toll but he refused. The taxi drivers became angry and then opened fire on him, Opera News reported. The British Foreign Office said it was "supporting the family of a British man who has died in South Africa" and issued a travel alert about the unrest.
The embassy urged people to "consider delaying their journey" due to the ongoing minicab taxi strikes in the Cape Town area. It continued: "These strikes have the potential to turn violent and may impact multiple areas including journeys to and from the airport. Check for any disruption on your route before travelling, avoid violent protests and try to stick to major routes. Be aware that GPS services could divert you into less secure areas or into ongoing protests."
The week-long strike was called in response to what drivers said were "heavy-handed tactics" by law enforcement authorities who were impounding cars for minor offences. The South African Ministry of Police said 120 people had been arrested since the strikes began and they were also reports of looting, stone throwing and arson. Nyanga is one of the most dangerous places in South Africa where 74 people are murdered every day.
Attachments
Last edited:
