Richard “Pot” Stemmet, still left, and an investigator appointed because of the Countrywide Lotteries Commission to research the Lottery-funded minstrel museum: Image from an investigative report commissioned by the NLC
Richard “Pot” Stemmet is experiencing prosecution following tools paid out for with funds from the Lottery was faraway from a Cape City creating he rented.
Stemmet is to appear in court docket in January.
According to a prosecutor the felony expenses could incorporate fraud, elimination of kit that were connected because of the Sheriff and interfering by using a City of Cape Town electric power meter.
The costs stem from the criticism laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who, in the civil court issue, is searching for to Get better above R2.five-million in unpaid hire, interest, authorized costs and damage to a rented constructing in Crete Street, in the economic area of Wetton in Cape Town.
The developing was previously the headquarters of the Cape City Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA) and is also in which a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the city’s generations-outdated minstrel tradition was supposedly operating.
Convicted criminal Richard “Pot” Stemmet is facing prosecution for theft and fraud just after products paid for with Lottery resources was removed from a Cape Town setting up.
Stemmet was arrested through the Specialised Business Criminal offense Device on 16 October 2024 and informed to seem from the Wynberg Justice of the peace’s Court docket on 21 November.
GroundUp attended court docket on the day nevertheless the issue was not placed on the court docket roll as the investigating officer didn't supply the docket to prosecutors. Stemmet has now been summonsed to seem in courtroom in January.
The felony charges stem from the complaint laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, that's trying to get to Get better about R2.five-million in unpaid lease, interest, authorized fees and damage to a rented setting up in Crete Street, in the economic spot of Wetton in Cape City.
The creating was Beforehand the headquarters on the Cape City Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA). This is where a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the town’s generations-old minstrel lifestyle was supposedly functioning.
The premises also housed several corporations owned by Stemmet, whom law enforcement have called a medicines superior flier. Amongst the businesses Stemmet ran with the premises were being a hat producing enterprise and a nightclub. Stemmet has long been arrested various situations for gun and drug-associated offences and served time for armed theft in the 1980s.
According to an SMS despatched to Meuwese because of the investigating officer, Stemmet has now been summonsed to seem in court on thirty January 2025.
While Stemmet is still for being introduced having a cost sheet, feasible prices, consist of fraud, elimination of kit that had been connected with the Sheriff, and interfering with a City of Cape Town electrical power meter, according to an email despatched to Meuwese by a senior prosecutor managing the matter.
A grant of virtually R13-million to establish the minstrel museum was Component of much more than R64-million in Lottery money allocated to the CTMCA between 2003 and 2017, with the majority of the money - more than R54.3-million - paid out within the 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 monetary a long time, In line with National Lotteries Fee (NLC) annual reports.
Stemmet was appointed a director of your CTMCA in September 1996 but resigned in December 2016. His wife Zainonesa and daughter Raziah ongoing ผล สลากกินแบ่ง as two of several administrators in the organisation. Stemmet was reappointed like a director in 2021.
In accordance with Meuwese, the developing was leased to Stalph 164, an in depth corporation of which Stemmet was amongst the administrators. The organization was deregistered by the businesses and Intellectual Assets Commission (CIPC) in March 2023 for non-compliance in distributing once-a-year studies.
A new entity Together with the exact name was subsequently registered as a private organization, but with Stemmet not a director, In accordance with CIPC information. Alternatively, a loved one, Ra’ees Stemmet, and Alfonzo van Niekerk have been appointed as directors.
About the evening of twelve April 2021 and into the next morning, the Crete Highway premises were being cleared as well as equipment was removed, according to an affidavit by Meuwese. The devices was moved to new premises rented by Stemmet in Mymoena Crescent from the Athlone industrial place, which housed many of Stemmet’s companies and a new “minstrel museum”, As outlined by a leaked investigative report commissioned with the NLC. The investigator also photographed the gear at the new premises.
Nonetheless, the meant new museum internet site, such as the outdated one in Wetton, was properly clear of any of Cape City’s tourist routes and site visitors could not accessibility it. There was no signage over the building indicating that it housed a museum.
Stemmet’s businesses vacated the premises before this 12 months right after he fell unwell.
The funding to ascertain a museum wasn't the sole lottery grant that the CTMCA gained. In 2021, the association was allotted R100,000 and R1.five-million in Covid relief grants. The NLC at first refused to expose who experienced acquired Covid funding but eventually relented below media and parliamentary tension.
Other lottery grants allocated to non-financial gain entities linked to Stemmet and his household and his associates involve R1.four-million with the Cape Cultural Carnival and Occasions Committee in 2019/20, and a further R500,000 in 2021/22, In line with NLC yearly stories. Stemmet is usually a previous director of your committee and his spouse, Zainonesa, is at the moment a director.
And, the Peninsula and District Carnival Association, which can be registered in the CTMCA’s previous Crete Road places of work, was allotted R190,000 in 2019/twenty, and an additional R635,000 in 2021/22 for your “craft, woodwork and style and design programme”. Nonetheless, it seems that the 2021/22 payment was withheld following the NLC lifted questions on excellent stories linked to before funding received because of the CTMCA.
GroundUp has verified which the SIU is investigating the lottery funding obtained with the CTMCA.
Also underneath investigation is really a R1-million payment with the CTMCA to MDU Consulting Engineers, which consequently paid out R500,000 of this to lawyers performing in the acquisition of the R27-million mansion for former NLC Board chairperson Alfred Nevhutanda.
MDU also acted like a conduit for a further R3-m payment by Zibsimanzi, a company in which the spouse of former NLC COO Phillemon Letwaba was a director, in the direction of the acquisition with the mansion. Zibsimanzi gained R4.8-million to phase a rural soccer tournament in Limpopo following Letwaba Individually advised which the grant be paid out to his spouse’s business.
GroundUp sent questions to Stemmet through SMS but he experienced not replied by the point of publication.