Richard “Pot” Stemmet, still left, and an investigator appointed from the Countrywide Lotteries Commission to investigate the Lottery-funded minstrel museum: Picture from an investigative report commissioned by the NLC
Richard “Pot” Stemmet is struggling with prosecution just after machines compensated for with money through the Lottery was removed from a Cape City creating he rented.
Stemmet is to appear in courtroom in January.
In line with a prosecutor the criminal rates could include things like fraud, removal of apparatus that were attached with the Sheriff and interfering having a Metropolis of Cape City electricity meter.
The charges stem from a grievance laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who, in a very civil court docket matter, is in search of to Get well around R2.five-million in unpaid lease, fascination, authorized charges and damage to a rented constructing in Crete Street, in the industrial region of Wetton in Cape City.
The setting up was Earlier the headquarters on the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA) and is also in which a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating town’s hundreds of years-old minstrel lifestyle was supposedly operating.
Convicted felony Richard “Pot” Stemmet is dealing with prosecution for theft and fraud after products compensated for with Lottery funds was removed from a Cape City building.
Stemmet was arrested through the Specialised Business Criminal offense Device on sixteen Oct 2024 and told to appear inside the Wynberg Justice of the peace’s Courtroom on 21 November.
GroundUp attended courtroom to the working day although the make any difference wasn't placed on the court roll because the investigating officer didn't supply the docket to prosecutors. Stemmet has now been summonsed to appear in court in January.
The prison fees stem from a criticism laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, that is searching for to recover about R2.5-million in unpaid hire, curiosity, lawful fees and harm to a rented creating in Crete Highway, in the industrial place of Wetton in Cape Town.
The constructing was Beforehand the headquarters in the Cape City Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA). This is when a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the city’s centuries-previous minstrel lifestyle was supposedly running.
The premises also housed several companies owned by Stemmet, whom police have described as a medicines substantial flier. Amid the businesses Stemmet ran through the premises have been a hat manufacturing business along with a nightclub. Stemmet continues to be arrested several times for gun and drug-linked offences and served time for armed robbery in the eighties.
In accordance with an SMS despatched to Meuwese through the investigating officer, Stemmet has now been summonsed to look in court on 30 January 2025.
Whilst Stemmet is but to generally be presented using a cost sheet, probable expenses, include things like fraud, removing of equipment that were connected by the Sheriff, and interfering using a Metropolis of Cape Town energy meter, In line with an electronic mail despatched to Meuwese by a senior prosecutor managing the matter.
A grant of almost R13-million to establish the minstrel museum was Portion of a lot more than R64-million in Lottery money allocated towards the CTMCA amongst 2003 and 2017, with the bulk of the money - above R54.3-million - paid within the 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 monetary many years, In line with National Lotteries Commission (NLC) yearly reports.
Stemmet was appointed a director with the CTMCA in September 1996 but resigned in December 2016. His wife Zainonesa and daughter Raziah ongoing ตัว หวย as two of many directors of your organisation. Stemmet was reappointed being a director in 2021.
In line with Meuwese, the developing was leased to Stalph 164, an in depth Company of which Stemmet was among the administrators. The corporation was deregistered by the Companies and Intellectual Residence Fee (CIPC) in March 2023 for non-compliance in submitting once-a-year reviews.
A completely new entity Together with the identical title was subsequently registered as A non-public enterprise, but with Stemmet not a director, In line with CIPC documents. Instead, a family member, Ra’ees Stemmet, and Alfonzo van Niekerk were appointed as administrators.
To the evening of twelve April 2021 and into the next morning, the Crete Street premises had been cleared and the equipment was eliminated, according to an affidavit by Meuwese. The devices was moved to new premises rented by Stemmet in Mymoena Crescent within the Athlone industrial place, which housed a number of of Stemmet’s enterprises along with a new “minstrel museum”, As outlined by a leaked investigative report commissioned via the NLC. The investigator also photographed the gear at the new premises.
Nevertheless, the supposed new museum web site, much like the previous a single in Wetton, was effectively far from any of Cape Town’s vacationer routes and website visitors could not obtain it. There was no signage to the making indicating that it housed a museum.
Stemmet’s firms vacated the premises earlier this 12 months right after he fell unwell.
The funding to ascertain a museum wasn't the only lottery grant the CTMCA been given. In 2021, the association was allocated R100,000 and R1.five-million in Covid aid grants. The NLC at first refused to reveal who experienced been given Covid funding but ultimately relented less than media and parliamentary pressure.
Other lottery grants allocated to non-earnings entities associated with Stemmet and his family and his associates incorporate R1.four-million with the Cape Cultural Carnival and Occasions Committee in 2019/20, and an extra R500,000 in 2021/22, Based on NLC annual experiences. Stemmet is usually a previous director on the committee and his wife, Zainonesa, is currently a director.
And, the Peninsula and District Carnival Affiliation, which can be registered in the CTMCA’s previous Crete Road places of work, was allocated R190,000 in 2019/twenty, and a further R635,000 in 2021/22 for just a “craft, woodwork and layout programme”. Nevertheless, it appears that the 2021/22 payment was withheld following the NLC lifted questions on exceptional stories linked to previously funding gained by the CTMCA.
GroundUp has confirmed the SIU is investigating the lottery funding gained by the CTMCA.
Also under investigation is actually a R1-million payment through the CTMCA to MDU Consulting Engineers, which in turn compensated R500,000 of the to lawyers performing in the acquisition of a R27-million mansion for former NLC Board chairperson Alfred Nevhutanda.
MDU also acted as a conduit for an additional R3-m payment by Zibsimanzi, a business during which the spouse of former NLC COO Phillemon Letwaba was a director, to the purchase of your mansion. Zibsimanzi gained R4.eight-million to stage a rural soccer Match in Limpopo following Letwaba personally proposed that the grant be paid out to his spouse’s company.
GroundUp sent thoughts to Stemmet by way of SMS but he had not replied by the point of publication.