National News
World Cup investors lose out
2010-06-30 11:35
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Marelize Barnard, Die Burger
Cape Town - Several investors and schools in the Cape Peninsula have received only disappointment and debt instead of soccer tourists and fat cheques as payback for their expensive contribution to a national tourism scheme.
At least 30 entrepreneurs from Mitchells Plain, Eerste River, Grassy Park and Khayelitsha, who hoped to coin it big during the Soccer World Cup, have lost at least R90 000 each.
The mastermind behind the national tourism project, Channon Merrick from Merricks Empowerment Consultants, reportedly had to flee from a meeting that was held earlier this month with furious investors from Soweto who had invested heavily in the same scheme and wanted their money back.
Up to 250 investors countrywide apparently begged and borrowed money to be able to invest R25m.
Schools to accommodate tourists
According to the big plan, 256 schools would have been converted into hotels where tourists would be treated like royalty. Schools were promised R150 000 each.
Thousands of soccer tourists were supposed to buy packages to stay in the school hotels. Service providers like taxis, cleaners and chefs had been organised and their dreams to make some extra money during the World Cup are now also in tatters.
One of the investors, Caron Maintz, said there was an investor for every school. According to the investors' contracts, they were to prepare for 200 tourists who would stay for 22 days at each of the schools. Investors would then be paid by Merricks for each tourist that was accommodated. They would make their profit as well as recoup their original investment in this way.
"The idea looked lovely on the slides that were shown to us. I was so excited because it brought the World Cup to our schools," said Maintz.
Merricks Empowerment would provide the beds and linen as well as mobile showering facilities. A large number of beds were apparently delivered to one of the schools in Mitchells Plain. These beds are now in storage.
"We haven't seen a single tourist. I have asked for my money back but was thrown out of a meeting," said Maintz.
Police investigating
The local agent for Merricks, known as Pastor Ivan Morris, said on enquiry on Tuesday that he was the agent in the Western Cape, but he was an employee of Merricks and not allowed to comment.
Mitchells Plain police are investigating a charge related to the investment scheme.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Ian Williams confirmed that the investigation was in an early stage.
Merrick did not answer his cellphone or respond to messages.
