A prominent South African psychologist who grew up in Australia has been brutally murdered in her family home in Johannesburg.

Dr Mirah Wilks, 69, was found dead on Sunday morning after a group of men broke into her home and repeatedly stabbed her in the chest.

South African Police believed the men committed the ambush to steal two laptops and a mobile phone, reports the Times Live .

Dr Wilks was a highly-regarded psychologist in South Africa, renowned for her work in helping the LGBTIQA+ community develop resilience tactics as a mean of survival.

Born in Israel, Dr Wilks moved to Australia as a young girl before settling in South Africa with her husband Frank and her two children, Tarryn and Brett.

South African police are currently hunting the person or persons responsible for Ms Wilks murder. (Facebook)

It's believed the men who broke into her home waited for Dr Wilks' husband to leave the property before launching their attack.

The Psychological Society of South Africa said Dr Wilks would be remembered as a mensch.

"It is probably one of the greatest honours to be called a mensch: A good soul; a person with integrity and honour; kind and considerate; someone who always treats others with the utmost respect and dignity; someone who is admired and emulated," the society said in a statement.

"Indeed, Mirah was well respected and much loved and these memories of her will stay with us."

The Society said her work impacted the lives of many people and that her experiences as an immigrant allowed to connect on a deeper level with her patients.

"She was often the identified 'outsider', among others, as an immigrant to South Africa to avoid war in another country; due to her religion; and as a survivor of childhood polio and adult kidney cancer," it said.