Richard “Pot” Stemmet, left, and an investigator appointed through the National Lotteries Commission to analyze the Lottery-funded minstrel museum: Photograph from an investigative report commissioned by the NLC
Richard “Pot” Stemmet is facing prosecution just after tools paid out for with resources from your Lottery was faraway from a Cape Town creating he rented.
Stemmet is to look in court docket in January.
In accordance with a prosecutor the legal rates could incorporate fraud, removal of equipment that were connected from the Sheriff and interfering having a Town of Cape Town electricity meter.
The costs stem from the grievance laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who, in a very civil court matter, is looking for to Get better around R2.5-million in unpaid lease, interest, legal expenditures and harm to a rented setting up in Crete Highway, in the economic space of Wetton in Cape City.
The developing was previously the headquarters from the Cape City Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA) and is also in which a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the town’s centuries-aged minstrel society was supposedly running.
Convicted criminal Richard “Pot” Stemmet is dealing with prosecution for theft and fraud following machines paid for with Lottery money was faraway from a Cape City creating.
Stemmet was arrested via the Specialised Industrial Criminal offense Device on sixteen Oct 2024 and told to seem during the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on 21 November.
GroundUp attended court around the day although the matter wasn't put on the court docket roll as the investigating officer didn't produce the docket to prosecutors. Stemmet has now been summonsed to seem in courtroom in January.
The legal expenses stem from a criticism laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, that's seeking to Get well about R2.five-million in unpaid rent, desire, lawful prices and harm to a rented constructing in Crete Street, in the industrial place of Wetton in Cape Town.
The making was previously the headquarters with the Cape City Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA). This is where a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the town’s hundreds of years-outdated minstrel society was supposedly operating.
The premises also housed a number of firms owned by Stemmet, whom law enforcement have referred to as a medicine superior flier. Among the the companies Stemmet ran within the premises were a hat manufacturing organization and also a nightclub. Stemmet continues to be arrested many situations for gun and drug-connected offences and served time for armed theft during the eighties.
As outlined by an SMS sent to Meuwese from the investigating officer, Stemmet has now been summonsed to look in court on 30 January 2025.
Although Stemmet is nevertheless to be presented that has a demand sheet, achievable prices, consist of fraud, removal of kit that had been attached with the Sheriff, and interfering with a City of Cape Town electricity meter, In accordance with an e-mail sent to Meuwese by a senior prosecutor managing the subject.
A grant of virtually R13-million to establish the minstrel museum was part of more than R64-million in Lottery resources allocated into the CTMCA involving 2003 and 2017, with the bulk of The cash - more than R54.three-million - compensated while in the 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 monetary yrs, In accordance with Countrywide Lotteries Fee (NLC) annual studies.
Stemmet was appointed a director of your CTMCA in September 1996 but resigned in December 2016. His spouse Zainonesa and daughter Raziah ongoing หวย วัน นี้ as two of quite a few directors of your organisation. Stemmet was reappointed like a director in 2021.
In keeping with Meuwese, the creating was leased to Stalph 164, a detailed Company of which Stemmet was among the administrators. The corporation was deregistered by the businesses and Mental Property Fee (CIPC) in March 2023 for non-compliance in submitting once-a-year reports.
A brand new entity With all the very same name was subsequently registered as a private business, but with Stemmet now not a director, according to CIPC data. As a substitute, a member of the family, Ra’ees Stemmet, and Alfonzo van Niekerk were appointed as administrators.
Within the night of 12 April 2021 and into the next early morning, the Crete Road premises were being cleared along with the equipment was eliminated, In keeping with an affidavit by Meuwese. The tools was moved to new premises rented by Stemmet in Mymoena Crescent during the Athlone industrial region, which housed many of Stemmet’s businesses as well as a new “minstrel museum”, As outlined by a leaked investigative report commissioned via the NLC. The investigator also photographed the equipment at The brand new premises.
Having said that, the meant new museum web-site, such as outdated one particular in Wetton, was effectively from any of Cape Town’s vacationer routes and site visitors could not entry it. There was no signage within the building indicating that it housed a museum.
Stemmet’s corporations vacated the premises earlier this 12 months following he fell sick.
The funding to determine a museum was not the one lottery grant which the CTMCA received. In 2021, the association was allocated R100,000 and R1.five-million in Covid aid grants. The NLC initially refused to reveal who had obtained Covid funding but eventually relented less than media and parliamentary pressure.
Other lottery grants allotted to non-profit entities linked to Stemmet and his family members and his associates contain R1.4-million for the Cape Cultural Carnival and Occasions Committee in 2019/twenty, and an additional R500,000 in 2021/22, In line with NLC annual reports. Stemmet is usually a former director from the committee and his spouse, Zainonesa, is at present a director.
And, the Peninsula and District Carnival Affiliation, that's registered in the CTMCA’s previous Crete Highway offices, was allotted R190,000 in 2019/twenty, and a further R635,000 in 2021/22 for the “craft, woodwork and design programme”. Even so, it seems that the 2021/22 payment was withheld once the NLC raised questions about exceptional stories connected to before funding received from the CTMCA.
GroundUp has confirmed which the SIU is investigating the lottery funding been given via the CTMCA.
Also less than investigation is a R1-million payment via the CTMCA to MDU Consulting Engineers, which subsequently paid out R500,000 of the to attorneys acting in the acquisition of a R27-million mansion for previous NLC Board chairperson Alfred Nevhutanda.
MDU also acted like a conduit for a further R3-m payment by Zibsimanzi, a firm during which the spouse of former NLC COO Phillemon Letwaba was a director, to the purchase with the mansion. Zibsimanzi obtained R4.8-million to phase a rural soccer Event in Limpopo soon after Letwaba Individually recommended the grant be paid out to his spouse’s enterprise.
GroundUp sent concerns to Stemmet through SMS but he experienced not replied by the point of publication.