More than 200 mourners gathered for the memorial service of community stalwart Nazir Sadack at the Tongaat Community Hall last Thursday.
Chairperson of the Tongaat Community Policing Forum (CPF) and the founder of the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) in Tongaat, Sadack passed away in the early hours last Tuesday morning after suffering a stroke and was laid to rest later that day.
Sadack’s dedication to helping others began after his wife also suffered a stroke.
Unable to assist her until the paramedics arrived, he found it agonising to watch her suffer as precious minutes slipped away.
While she survived, the experience motivated him to establish CERT, which has become one of the most reliable community-driven search and rescue organisations on the North Coast.
Paying tribute, mourners shared their experiences of working with Sadack, while others recounted personal stories of how he helped them without expecting anything in return.
After completing his tertiary education, he began his career in electronics and became one of the first authorised agents on the North Coast when mobile phones were launched.
He later transitioned into the corporate world, where he worked for various companies.
His brother Fazel said Sadack believed in leading a balanced life, which was reflected in his hobbies such as road running, playing darts, squash and other social activities.
He served as the road captain of the Tongaat Panthers Athletic Club for many years.
“He completed nine Comrades Marathons and participated in other major races such as the Two Oceans Marathon, Washie and several other ultra-marathons,” said Fazel.
He added that his brother was always reachable by phone, ready to be the first on the scene in times of need.
“He was not just a source of inspiration but also greatly supportive. He was our confidant, a rock we leaned on and our best friend. His ability to listen, understand and offer wise advice was a gift to everyone lucky enough to have known him,” said Fazel.
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