Men who allegedly shot dead a popular Soweto doctor on Friday may be linked to a recent robbery at his medical practice.

There has been an outpouring of grief by patients and the medical fraternity over the death of 56-year-old Diepkloof general practitioner Dr George Koboka.

Hours after the brutal killing police arrested three men aged between 23 and 33.

A search is being conducted for other suspects.

Gauteng police spokesperson Lt-Col Mavela Masondo told TimesLIVE on Sunday there had been “no further arrests so far”.

Masondo said more than four armed men entered the surgery and proceeded to the doctor's consultation room where they allegedly shot him.

“The doctor was rushed to hospital where he unfortunately succumbed to gunshot injuries.

“Police immediately launched a manhunt for the suspects who were driving in a Toyota Quantum minibus, resulting in three being arrested in Soweto.

“The arrested suspects might be linked with the business robbery that happened at the same surgery on March 16 where cellphones and cash were taken from the patients and employees.”

Doctors who belong to the Facebook group SA Doctors United condemned the killing.

“Police do your job. We want to serve but we have families too. The sick and downtrodden suffer,” said one doctor.

The Pan Africanist Congress of Azania also paid to tribute to Koboka, saying in a Facebook post that he was a member and a former student leader between 1993 and 1997.

A patient of the slain doctor described him as “everyone's favourite family doctor, always so grounded”.

“People are hateful and very dark. It's disgusting.”

TimesLIVE