South African expatriate rings up Dh1 million in jackpot

DUBAI // A South African expatriate has won Dh1 million from telecommunications company du as part of a summer promotion.

Phaphama T S, who works as a member of the cabin crew for a Dubai airline, received her prize on Tuesday in a ceremony at the company’s headquarters in Dubai Media City, du said.

“It all feels like a dream,” she said.

“I didn’t believe it at first and it sunk in slowly that I’d won. I want to do so many things and this makes everything possible.”

Ms Phaphama bought a first-class ticket to Johannesburg to see her family and plans to invest her winnings, some of which will go towards a courier company she started with her brother in South Africa.

The win came as a huge surprise to her family but they felt excited and happy for her, Ms Phaphama said.

“It completely broadens my horizons and makes me think differently,” she said.

A total of 108 people won daily prizes through the company’s summer promotion, including iPad Minis, gold iPhone 5S smartphones, and Asus laptops.

Eighteen weekly winners received a Dh10,000 coupon for Virgin Megastores.

The promotion was offered to prepaid customers.

For every dirham used to recharge their phone credit, customers received one ticket in the raffle draw to win daily and weekly prizes, in addition to the Dh1m grand prize.