Dr Rajie Tudge launches 'The Goodwill Girl: The Story of Daya Pillay'

CELEBRATING A LEGACY

- CANDICE SOOBRAMONEY

DR RAJIE Tudge, of Musgrave, launched her second book, The Goodwill Girl: The Story of Daya Pillay, on Saturday at the Glenwood Book Fair.

Her first book was a biographical fiction titled Teaching the Canna Bush: My journey through apartheid and beyond (2020).

The story followed Tudge’s experiences after she left school in Standard 9, worked in a furniture shop, and taught in Cape Town where she met Alan Tudge, an Englishman to whom she was married for 35 years under apartheid.

Tudge has a Master’s degree in linguistics from Stellenbosch University and a doctorate in gender policy from the UKZN. She lectured at the then University of Durban-Westville (now UKZN) and retired as the director of strategic planning in 2007.

Tudge speaks about her new release.

Q: Who was Daya Pillay and how did the idea of the book come about?

A: Daya Pillay was the daughter of Velayuda and Janaki Govender of the iconic Goodwill Supply Stores in Clairwood. She married Subri Pillay from Cato Manor and was a respected leader in the Tamil cultural community.

Q: What prompted you to write her story and why do you think Daya Pillay’s story should be told?