Fishy Tinley Manor angling comp canned as ‘sponsors’ deny being involved with organiser

Serious questions have been raised about a proposed mega fishing event at Tinley Manor, offering millions in prize money.

Local businesses approached by organiser Julian Murray to become involved in the ‘Catch a Million’ venture, have expressed fears that it may to be a ruse to scam sponsors, anglers and stall-holders.

The competition promises a cash prize of R1-million for landing a tagged fish, with another R2-million worth of prizes on offer, including a bakkie.

According to the event’s marketing material, entry into the competition ranges from R500 to R9 500, with stalls offered at R6 000.

Since August, Murray had been approaching businesses to obtain sponsorships to get the event off the ground.

When the Courier contacted the landowner Kim Blevin where the competition was to be held, she said she had distanced herself from the competition because Murray could not provide invoicing to rent the land.

“I have not heard from him since mid-August,” she said, saying he had created the impression that the competition was going to be one of the biggest and best, with sponsorships from motor dealerships, including Ford.

“I don’t know if Ford knows they are giving away a bakkie,” Blevin said.

Prominent in the North Coast’s fishing fraternity, Quentin Power said Murray had not approached any of the local ski boat clubs. Neither had an application been submitted to the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries nor the South African Maritime Safety Authority to obtain approval for the competition.

Murray claimed he only needed the permission of KwaDukuza municipality to host the competition, but Power reiterated this was not the case, especially relating to a competition which includes off-shore angling.

uShaka Marine World confirmed Murray had consulted them for advice on his competition and also confirmed he had boasted about securing sponsorship from Ford Ballito.

The Courier got in touch with some of the dealerships which Murray claimed he had secured sponsorships from.

Dealer principal at CMH Ford Ballito, Dave White, said he had not been approached by Murray, and they were not putting up a bakkie as a prize.

CMH Nissan and SMG Ballito also denied any involvement.

Suzuki Umhlali dealer principal Gisela Witthoft said that while Murray did approach them, “no agreement was reached whatsoever”. Asking to remain anonymous, a former co-organiser of the fishing bonanza, said she had pulled out two weeks ago.

She said Murray had claimed he would cover the R1-million cash prize from an investment account in his name, claiming to be a successful businessman. She provided the Courier with a different cellphone number he used to reach her last Thursday since the contact number provided on advertisements went unanswered.

Testing the new number, a confused Ballito taxi rank employee answered the call, saying an ‘umlungu’ had borrowed his phone to make a call that morning. He said the “businessman” was a frequent visitor at the rank, selling a variety of items on foot.

“That is one of his businesses, selling tasers and cell phones,” the former co-organiser said in a return call.

She phoned back the next day, with Murray present, saying his phone needed repairs.

He said he had cancelled the competition because of ‘this whole legal incident’ and the reason he could not be reached was that he lost his phone at sea. The decision to cancel, he said, was on the advice of his attorneys.

He told us that he had hoped to raise funds for Tinley Manor’s lifeguards, but KwaDukuza lifeguard superintendent Bongani Xulu said he knew of no such arrangement, or the fishing competition.

“I’m going to open a multi-million Rand lawsuit against all these people and I can tell you right now I’m going to win,” Murray said, claiming he would be opening cases of crimen injuria at Umhlali Saps last Friday, but no case numbers have yet been provided.

He denied having accepted any payment from anglers or stall-holders.

Murray has since been unreachable.

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