Johannesburg - The Barday family as well as the media industry are mourning the loss of Rafiq Ahmed Barday who was laid to rest on Friday in Kimberley.
The owner of Bardays News Agency CC, who distributed several newspapers, including those of Independent Media in the Northern Cape, died this week following a triple bypass operation and a lengthy hospital stay.
Family spokesperson Pearline Benjamin described Barday as an “honourable, caring and loving man”.
“He will be immensely missed by his family, including his wife, son, two daughters and four grandchildren,” she said.
As a family business, Barday moved from Cape Town to Kimberley to take over the Bardays News Agency from his late father, Osman Barday.
“Osman ran the business for more than 25 years before handing it over to his son, Rafiq who moved to Kimberley in 1989 to continue the family legacy,” Benjamin said.
She added that throughout his career in the print media industry, Barday “consistently demonstrated his unwavering dedication to the industry as well as to his family”.
“What truly set him apart was his unwavering commitment to integrity and ethics.”
Benjamin added that he was also a family man.
“To balance his career with his personal life, he would make sure to schedule in time for his family and colleagues.
“Overall, it was Rafiq's dedication, focus, and commitment to both his career and personal life that allowed him to achieve success in all areas of his life,” Benjamin said.