Dr Koboka's assistant relives his last moments

“What do you guys want from me?” screamed Dr George Koboka as he confronted two gunmen who invaded his consultation room before two shots went off.

His body fell and slouched against the door. As he struggled to draw breath, his assistant — who had been preparing a patient in the next room — jumped and tried to remove Koboka from the door to escape, as she feared the killers might return. Sadly, Koboka did not survive.

Koboka, 56, was shot and killed on Friday at his practice in Diepkloof Zone 5, Soweto. He was affectionately known as the “People's Doctor”. 

Police spokesperson Capt Mavela Masondo said three men aged 23, 28 and 33 were arrested a few hours after Koboka’s murder. They will appear in the Johannesburg magistrate’s court on Tuesday.

Koboka’s assistant, who spoke to Sowetan on condition of anonymity, said: “I was inside the consultation room with a patient and preparing her to be comfortable on the bed. The doctor was in his office getting a few necessities to work on the patient, and that is when I heard him shouting, 'ningifunani'.”

The assistant said after the shots went off, she closed the door of the other room and helped the patient to get dressed.

“I did not think that the doctor was shot because we knew him as someone who could defend himself, but when we opened the door I saw the doctor slouching against the main door with a wound on his cheek and blood gushing out from his mouth and nose.

“I cannot sleep. Every time I close my eyes I see that,” said the assistant.

Another staff member said she believes Dr Koboka was assassinated for reporting a previous robbery at his office on March 16.

“The robbers came in two weeks ago and took phones from the patients. They were three or four men and one of them was carrying a gun. There was one pregnant patient who refused to give them her cellphone. They assaulted her. While that was happening, one of the patients rushed into the doctor’s room.

“The patient alerted the doctor and used a table to block the door. They then left,” the staff member said.

She said a suspect, believed to be from Diepkloof Hostel, was identified and arrested the same day.

Dr Koboka's practice survived two attempted robberies last year but he managed to scare off the thugs and even chased after them with his car. 

Dr Koboka’s neighbours told Sowetan that last year he asked them to watch over him when he locked up every night.

“We would go to his practice with my car around 6.45pm and park there. The doctor did not tell us why we should guard him,” said the neighbour.

They watched over him between October and November last year.

Sowetan reported about robberies at doctors' practices in the country’s biggest township in 2020.

We live in fear. Every person who comes into the surgery is unfortunately a potential criminal, especially those you do not know

—  Dr Daniel Ngwenya from Meadowlands

Doctors detailed how criminals pounced on them and patients and held them hostage before making off with their belongings, including cash, cellphones and laptops.

They also emptied medical dispensaries where they have targeted ARVs and cough mixture.

Dr Daniel Ngwenya from Meadowlands was robbed in 2020. He said after the incident, police adopted a strategy of coming to sign a register at the surgeries, but this apparently only lasted a few weeks.

“We live in fear. Every person who comes into the surgery is unfortunately a potential criminal, especially those you do not know,” Ngwenya said.

Dr Elijah Nkosi said incidents have also spread to Ekurhuleni.

“We do not search patients when they come to our facilities. People can come and pretend to be patients but while they are there, decide to pull out guns and rob everyone. It is a very difficult environment to work in.”

Nkosi said he has asked patients to avoid carrying bank cards and other important items when coming for consultations.

Several patients of the late doctor described him as a selfless man.

Khumbuzile Molabo said: “When I was recovering from Covid-19, the doctor would come to my place and check up on me.” 

Priscilla Malinga said: “This is a big loss for the community. The pensioners are the ones who have lost the most.”

The chairperson of the South African Medical Association (Sama), Mvuyisi Mzukwa, said: “Dr Koboka was a member of Sama since 1998 and was a respected and loved physician in his community.

“The killing of Dr Koboka again places the spotlight on crime in SA, and the violent nature of mindless crimes which lead to the death of valuable members of society such as Dr Koboka.”

Dr Koboka leaves behind two wives and is the father of 12 children.

SowetanLIVE

Support independent journalism by subscribing to the Sunday Times. Just R20 for the first month.