A British doctor who was shot dead in South Africa after taking a wrong turn from the airport was a renowned surgeon and a recipient of multiple international awards, according to his colleagues and friends. The victim, identified as Kar Hao Teoh, 40, was on holiday with his wife and two-year-old son in Cape Town when he was killed by a group of gunmen on August 3.

Mr Teoh was a leading specialist in trauma and orthopedics, and had worked at several hospitals in the UK, including the Royal Glamorgan Hospital in Wales and the Royal London Hospital. He had also completed fellowships in Australia, Canada, and Switzerland, and had won several prestigious prizes for his research and clinical work.

Among his achievements, Mr Teoh had received the Presidential Prize at the European Foot and Ankle Society conference in Lyon in 2021 for his study on the treatment of ankle fractures. He had also been awarded the Roger Mann Award at the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society meeting in Chicago in 2022 for his research on the outcomes of ankle arthroscopy. He was also a member of the British Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (BOFAS), which described him as a “kind, gentle person” and a “dedicated and talented surgeon” who was a “rising star of the foot and ankle world”.

Mr Teoh was born in Singapore but had British nationality. He studied medicine at the University of Edinburgh, the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh, and the University of Dundee. He was married to Elma Sulejmanovic, who is also a doctor, and had a young son named Kai.

Mr Teoh’s tragic death occurred on the first day of a violent strike by minibus taxi drivers in Cape Town, who were protesting against the impounding of their vehicles by the authorities for traffic violations. The strike has resulted in five deaths so far, including a police officer, and has caused chaos and disruption in the city.

According to police reports , Mr Teoh had arrived at Cape Town International Airport on August 3 and had rented a car to drive to his accommodation. However, he apparently took a wrong turn off from the airport and ended up in Nyanga, one of the most dangerous townships in South Africa. There, he was confronted by a number of suspects who shot him dead in his car. His wife and son were also in the vehicle but were not harmed. The Foreign Office said it was supporting Mr Teoh’s family and was in contact with the local authorities. A spokesperson said: “We are supporting the family of a British man who has died in South Africa and are in contact with the local authorities.”

The South African police have launched an investigation into the murder and are trying to identify and arrest the perpetrators. They have also appealed to anyone with information that could assist them to contact them on 10111 or anonymously on Crime Stop on 08600 10111.