Described as humble, hardworking and compassionate, Ronnie Naidoo is a familiar friendly face in the Estcourt community.
He recently celebrated his 83rd birthday with friends and family, and we caught up with him to find out more about the man fondly known as ‘Uncle Ronnie’.
Born in 1940 in a home fraught with poverty, Naidoo was born in Sea View and the family later moved to Newlands in Durban. At just seven years old, his father was hospitalised for tuberculosis (TB) and his mother did household chores for families to generate an income for the family.
“We were desperately poor. My siblings and I tended gardens at home and took vegetables to the morning Indian market on the corner of Victoria Street and Warwick Avenue. Our priority was to generate income for the family,” he recalls.
Ronnie’s academic career concluded when he completed Standard 6 in 1957. On this last day of school on December 7, 1957, he took up a position as a trainee confectioner at Doughnut King in Durban.
“I was fascinated as a child when I saw my father baking and decorating wedding and novelty cakes. I was very observant and unafraid of hard work. I worked long hours, especially during the night. My employers at Doughnut King recognised my work ethic and I was well paid in Durban.”
Through family contacts, Ronnie met his wife, Silvy. The couple was engaged in June 1961 and married on January 28, 1962. Together, they have one son and two daughters, as well as five grandchildren and one great grandchild. In the late 70s, the pair opened Lotus Confectioners.
“Lotus Confectioners was opened in the non-white business section of Estcourt on July 14, 1978. “Breads, cakes, pies, takeaway curries, sandwiches, teas and coffees, novelty and wedding cakes, pastries and so on were made daily. The business thrived and our products were well-known and loved by people in the province; even nationally and internationally. During the mid-90s, political instability affected the business negatively though. It was finally closed in 1998,” explained Naidoo.
Although the bakery has closed, he still continues his childhood passion of baking at home.
Another activity close to his heart is walking.
“I began competitive walking as a sport at the age of 62. “I became a member of Forderville Athletic Club and entered many competitions. I was the most senior participant in several races.”
When asked about highlights in his life, Naidoo says that excelling in his career and becoming a fully-fledged confectioner is one of them.
As for challenges, ‘I do not see challenges; I see opportunities to learn and grow’. He has these words of advice for locals: “Be good, do good, be humble – these are important for a happy life.”
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