By Nikashni Naidoo
For over six decades, a Chatsworth newspaper vendor has been trudging the pavements and diligently delivering the print media headlines to his avid readers on Durban’s beachfront flatland with a daily dint of hard work – seldom missing a sunrise over the Indian Ocean rim to bring home the breaking news.
It took a loyal reader to recognise the unheralded work life of Subramoney, who tuned 74 in August. Subramoney, of Croftdene, Chatsworth, has now become something of a newsmaker himself traversing the city’s Golden Mile day in and day out since he was 14 years old.
“Hard work is all it takes,” says the veteran vendor of Durban’s daily and weekend newspapers.
His presence on the streets selling and delivering newspapers has attracted attention from the residents of the seaside complexes.
Subramoney was photographed by reader and resident Elana Schilz, who then posted her experience and conversations with Subramoney on social media that alerted us at the Merebank and Chatsworth Tabloid.
Elana Schilz wrote in the social media world: “I have lived on the beachfront for over 10 years and Nandha Subramoney is down every day selling the newspaper. His stories are incredible and he is a part of the beachfront history.’’
Subramoney told her that he had seen many a sunrise by working in the heart of the city’s tourist mecca since as a teenager. He told Schilz that he came from humble beginnings, but it lay a ‘’perfect foundation’’ for him and his family to lead and live an honest life.
As a sole bread-winner in his household shared with his supportive wife, Kogie, he has carried out his work with pride and dignity since the 1960s.
He began working at a roadhouse restaurant, Cuban Hat, as a tray boy earning R4, 10 a week. He picked up R35 weekly few months later. At the Cuban Hat, he began working part–time, selling newspapers. He has continued to ply the paper trail and trade and trail up until this day – since he sold his first newspaper 62 years ago.
Formerly a resident of Stella Road, Subramoney lived in Merebank before moving to Chatsworth in 1965 and continued working on the Golden Mile. He married his wife Kogie in 1988 and they had three children.
Their eldest son, Nicklon, followed his father’s footsteps and accompanied him on the newspaper rounds, but passed away due to a sudden illness.
Despite their simple and modest living conditions, Subramoney holds his wife in high regard and admired her for taking care of their children and the house while he was out working to put bread on the table and keeping the lights on under the roof of their municipal home.
Asked about his views on present-day Durban, he said he was somewhat disappointed with the attitude of the post-millennial generation towards working hard and finding jobs: ‘’Having worked hard myself, I have an important message for the youth to work harder and not look down on jobs like selling or delivering newspapers.’’
“We have not been complacent about our situation and the deals that life has offered us. We have made the most of it. If I can wake up at the crack of dawn at my age to earn a living, why can’t our youth do it too.’’
“Today’s generation has lost the hunger for work and they often look down upon menial jobs. Being a newspaper vendor has allowed me to provide my family with the bare necessities. We are not rich people, but we have managed to lead a comfortable life with God’s grace,” Subramoney said.
‘’ I currently earn around R60 a day, as well as tips from my regulars who take really good care of me. Over the years, I have learned the importance of being kind as it has helped me build a new family at work. My customers are no less than family and they treat me that way too. I am so grateful.”
