A billionaire’s birthday bash

Indepedent Newspapers.

No, it is not the monster cake Vivian Reddy will be unveiling today, but it went down a treat when Sorisha Reddy unveiled the replica of his Bentley to him and their children, Saihil, four, and Kalina, two, yesterday. Pictures: Lauren Rawlin.

What do you buy your billionaire husband who is about to throw the biggest birthday bash of his life and who can afford whatever he wants?

Sorisha Reddy, whose husband Vivian Reddy is celebrating his 60th birthday this weekend, knew.

And last night she presented him with something she had been “dying to buy him” – a R390 000 Franck Muller watch – which she collected from Gateway jeweller Gary Cherry.

The timely gift was no gamble. For Reddy, who has interests in casinos, discovered that the “Vegas” model features a roulette wheel. He just has to activate a slide on the winding button to release a centre hand which spins.

She had another surprise for him: a 1.2m cake shaped like his white Bentley.

“It’s amazing,” he raved, when the cake was unveiled before a private party for 200 VIPs (including King Goodwill Zwelithini) at the couple’s luxury home in uMhlanga.

The party was Sorisha’s gift to her husband and she had organised bouquets of red and orange flowers, and candles “to give a dreamy, romantic atmosphere.”

Durban’s own MasterChef winner, Deena Naidoo, did the catering. “The idea was to make it a culinary adventure and journey,” he said.

Themed food stalls catered for different tastes, from Italian to Indian to traditional South African, as well as seafood. A sushi bar had been fashioned from a 2m block of ice.

Top Billing was there, as was Eastern Mosaic and You magazine.

Sorisha wore a white silk backless dress by Durban designer Haroun Hansrot and high heels.

Today, Reddy takes over uShaka Marine World where he will entertain 10 000 underprivileged children. Five hundred child-minders will keep an eye on them.

Later, 1 500 guests, will be wined and dined in a marquee that has been erected next to Moyo’s Restaurant.

Twelve trucks brought 140 tons of marquee equipment and scaffolding from Joburg and it took 50 people four days to set up.

The cake – 5m high and 4.5m wide and weighing 2.5 tons – will also be unveiled. Reddy disputed reports that the cake had cost R1 million or that the entire birthday bill was R10m. That was pure speculation, he said, adding that 75 percent of the undisclosed price tag was devoted to entertaining underprivileged children.

The monster cake will be cut into 20 000 slices for schools and orphanages.

Guests at today’s party will enjoy canapés, high tea and a buffet incorporating the “flavours of Durban and Africa”.

Reddy had a special outfit made in London’s Bond Street but will wear three other outfits during the day. The philanthropist, who has donated R100m to charity to date, said he would be launching the Vivian Reddy Foundation which will focus on education and Aids charity work. - The Independent on Sunday