Johannesburg – Minister of Health Dr Zweli Mkhize said he was shocked and dismayed at the “brutal murder” of Joburg anaesthetist Dr Abdulhay Munshi who died in a hail of bullets on Wednesday.
It is believed that the 57-year-old doctor and his colleague, Professor Peter Beale, had received death threats before the former’s suspected assassination.
Beale has since been taken to a safe haven for protection.
Mkhize said it was unthinkable that anyone would consider taking the life of a health worker when they are fighting the war against Covid-19.
“The Minister or Health, Dr Zwelini Mkhize, has learnt with shock and dismay of the passing away of Dr Abdulhay Munshi, who was brutally murdered in an allegedly orchestrated attack on Wednesday afternoon.
“At a time when the safety and psychological well-being of our health-care workers is under the spotlight, it is unthinkable that anyone would consider taking the life of a health worker, people who have been in the front line of the fight against Covid-19.
“We wish to convey our heartfelt condolences to the family of Dr Munshi, his colleagues, friends and the medical fraternity as a whole,” said the statement from Mkhize’s office.
“We call on the law enforcement agencies to do everything in their powers to ensure that the perpetrators of this heinous crime are brought to book and face the full might of the law.”
Munshi was the co-accused in the Netcare culpable homicide case with paediatric surgeon Beale after they were blamed for the death of Zayyaan Sayed, 10, following a routine laparoscopic operation at the Netcare Park Lane Hospital last October.
The two doctors were granted R10 000 bail each and were expected to make their next court appearance on November 16.
Munshi was apparently shot six times in the back of the head after a vehicle rammed into the rear of his car while he was driving around Orange Grove, Joburg, on Wednesday afternoon.
SA Medical Association (Sama) chairperson Dr Angelique Coetzee said that before Munshi’s death, he and Beale had received death threats. However, they didn’t take them seriously.
“The doctor (Munshi) and the paediatric surgeon (Beale) had received death threats before but it wasn’t taken seriously, I didn’t take it seriously. Dr Beale mentioned it to me last week and I don’t even think he took it seriously,” she said.
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