Tributes are pouring in for a police officer who was killed in a shootout following mall robbery in Durban at the weekend. He has been described as a “selfless officer who was also a friend to many.”
Sergeant Riyadh Adam responded to armed robberies at two jewellery shops in a shopping mall in Westville.
Provincial police spokesperson, Colonel Robert Netshiunda said in one of the robberies, a suspect entered the shop pretending to be a customer.
"At least four other suspects followed him. The suspects then overpowered the staff and robbed them of an undisclosed amount of jewellery. Simultaneously, another group of suspects stormed into another jewellery store and also robbed an undisclosed amount of gold jewellery," Netshiunda said.
They further robbed security guards of their firearms.
He said that as the robbers were fleeing, they drove past a police vehicle and fired shots.
ALS Paramedics spokesperson, Garrith Jamieson, said Adam was rushed to a nearby hospital and died a short while later.
Meanwhile, two females, one of whom was pregnant, were assaulted during the robbery.
"Both patients were stabilised on scene by advanced life support paramedics before being transported to a nearby hospital for the further care that they required," Jamieson said.
Former KwaDukuza SAPS Cluster Commander, Brigadier Derek Captain-Hastibeer, worked closely with Adam following his appointment in 2011.
Speaking to IOL, he said Adam was the first policeman he recruited to join his covert team.
"He made a huge impact on our projects, resulting in phenomenal success. I developed a very close relationship with Riyadh, something that is frowned upon within the highest echelons of the organisation, but his personality, unwavering commitment to his work, and steadfast ethics were beyond reproach. When I resigned from the SAPS in July 2015 to settle in Australia, I wanted to show Riyadh my appreciation and gratitude for his support, so I gave him my private firearm, a Baretta, to him so that he will have something of me to remember," he said.
Captain-Hastibeer said he remained in contact with Adam and often advised him.
"The bond we shared was very strong, and I cherished his friendship. When I got the news of Riyadh's tragic passing, I felt a sense of deep sadness. It felt like my heart was ripped out of my chest. I pray his son, family, friends, and colleagues will comfort one another during this terrible time. I pray God is merciful to him, and may his soul rest in peace. You will always be in my heart and thoughts," he said.
“Sgt Adam was a true asset to the South African Police Services and the people of South Africa. Always putting the interests and safety of the nation he served before his own. It was a privilege to work with him over the years, and he will be sorely missed. Rest in peace, my friend,” expressed Emer-G-Med’s Kyle van Reenen.
A community crime-fighter and member of the Manor Gardens Community Policing Forum, Janus Horn, said Adam was a man among men.
“Sgt Adam was a dedicated member of SAPS. If he was on duty or off duty, he was always available to assist. He went above and beyond of what was expected of him as a SAPS member. This is a sad loss. We have worked together on a number of cases lately. RIP my friend. Dynamite comes in small packages, and that was Adam,” Horn said.
On a personal note, I met Sgt Adam when I worked as a junior reporter at Tabloid Media in 2006. He was one of my first police contacts and always answered the phone or responded to a text, no matter the time. He was always a gentleman. I remember a particular story I had to write and had no idea how to obtain court documents. I was assigned the story by my then editor, and it was late in the afternoon. Adam helped secure the documents for me and had them printed out and waiting for me. He and his dad, Sam Adam, affectionately known as ‘uncle Sam’, were instrumental in the start of my career. May their souls rest in peace and their memory live on in the hearts of those they have left behind. This one is personal.
IOL