Dubai: A South African family that has been living without electricity for the past six months is now facing eviction from their one bedroom apartment in The Gardens.
The Naidoos fell on bad times after the head of the family quit a managerial job to start a business which went bust.
“It’s been all downhill since,” said Sagren Naidoo, 50, who has been managing with candlelight and water from a community swimming pool.
“I was hoping to turn the corner by landing a job and settling my dues, but that didn’t happen. Instead our situation kept on worsening. First our utility services were disconnected, next my son was forced to drop out of college and now we are on the verge of losing the roof over our heads,” he said.
Naidoo, who worked as sales manager with a telecom operator in Dubai, left his job in 2013 to venture into medical equipment trading business.
Living on handouts
“I partnered with a German and invested Dh260,000 into the business. We even took up an office in Dubai Silicon Oasis. However, the venture couldn’t take off. But I was not willing to give up so readily so I invested another Dh75,000. As luck would have it, it all went down the drain and I accumulated huge debts. I have sold all my wife’s jewellery including our wedding ring and am now surviving on handouts from friends and acquaintaces.
Naidoo, whose visa is valid until September, said he is desperately looking for a job so that he could get his life back on track.
“I feel terrible for my wife and son. Unfortunately, I can’t send them back as their visas have expired. I have a masters in business management and about 16 years of UAE experience. All I need is a second chance.”
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