Cape Town - Western Cape police are investigating a case of murder and business robbery after the husband of prominent community dentist Dr Camillah Bayat was shot dead at one of the family's dental surgeries on Monday.
Rashid Halday, 56, was gunned down during an alleged break in at the family's Khayelitsha surgery.
The family owns four surgeries and the others are in Nyanga and Gugulethu.
Western Cape police Captain FC van Wyk said according to reports, two unknown suspects entered the surgery at around 4.30pm.
"One male was positively armed with a firearm and threatened the security guard and instructed him to get inside the building.
"They took the gate keys and forced the security guard into one of the rooms. The security guard then heard three gun shots, few seconds after he went out and discovered that the victim was shot in the head and the suspects were gone," he said.
Halday was taken to a nearby hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Van Wyk said the circumstances surrounding Halday's murder are unknown at this stage.
Reacting to the news was ANC MP Faiez Jacobs, who condemned the "callous" and "cold-blooded" shooting of Halday.
"What is most discerning is the fact that the surgery staff and patients were held up during this brutal act of cold-blooded murder.
"Mr Halday comes from a family of prominent medical practitioners who over years saw the need to render a much needed medical service to the most depressed and impoverished communities on the Cape Flats," he said.
"To his wife, who provides much needed dental care to our people and to his family and friends I say hold tight to memories of his service of love and comfort for people and always remember how much he was loved and appreciated by all for whom whom he managed much needed medical service and health care.
"Although no words can ease the loss you bear, know you're very close in my thoughts and prayers."
Jacobs also called on police to "leave no stone unturned in finding the perpetrators of this horrendous act of callous murder".
"I call on the community to assist the police in bringing to book the demonic murder[ers] and to unite and end the scourge of crime and violence plaguing the community of Khayelitsha and the Cape Flats in general," he said.