“Pot” Stemmet faces costs above theft of Lottery-funded devices
“Pot” Stemmet faces costs above theft of Lottery-funded devices
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Richard “Pot” Stemmet, still left, and an investigator appointed via the Nationwide Lotteries Commission to research the Lottery-funded minstrel museum: Photograph from an investigative report commissioned with the NLC
Richard “Pot” Stemmet is experiencing prosecution right after tools paid for with resources with the Lottery was removed from a Cape City constructing he rented.
Stemmet is to appear in court docket in January.
In line with a prosecutor the criminal prices could incorporate fraud, removing of equipment that had been connected via the Sheriff and interfering by using a Town of Cape City electrical energy meter.
The costs stem from a grievance laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who, inside of a civil court docket matter, is in search of to Get well about R2.five-million in unpaid lease, curiosity, legal costs and harm to a rented setting up in Crete Highway, in the commercial location of Wetton in Cape Town.
The setting up was Earlier the headquarters in the Cape City Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA) and it is where a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the town’s generations-previous minstrel society was supposedly working.
Convicted prison Richard “Pot” Stemmet is going through prosecution for theft and fraud after tools compensated for with Lottery funds was removed from a Cape Town constructing.
Stemmet was arrested via the Specialised Commercial Crime Unit on 16 October 2024 and informed to seem from the Wynberg Justice of the peace’s Courtroom on 21 November.
GroundUp attended courtroom about the day even so the subject was not put on the court docket roll since the investigating officer did not produce the docket to prosecutors. Stemmet has now been summonsed to seem in court in January.
The prison fees stem from a criticism laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who's seeking to Get well above R2.five-million in unpaid rent, fascination, legal expenditures and damage to a rented constructing in Crete Highway, in the industrial place of Wetton in Cape City.
The developing was Earlier the headquarters of your Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA). This is where a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the city’s hundreds of years-outdated minstrel society was supposedly working.
The premises also housed various companies owned by Stemmet, whom police have referred to as a medicines higher flier. Among the companies Stemmet ran in the premises ended up a hat producing company and also a nightclub. Stemmet is arrested quite a few situations for gun and drug-linked offences and served time for armed robbery within the nineteen eighties.
In keeping with an SMS sent to Meuwese from the investigating officer, Stemmet has now been summonsed to seem in court on 30 January 2025.
Although Stemmet is still to become offered with a cost sheet, probable prices, consist of fraud, elimination of equipment that had been attached by the Sheriff, and interfering using a Metropolis of Cape Town electric power meter, according to an email despatched to Meuwese by a senior prosecutor managing the matter.
A grant of just about R13-million to determine the minstrel museum was Component of in excess of R64-million in Lottery money allotted on the CTMCA among 2003 and 2017, with the majority of the money - about R54.3-million - paid out in the 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 fiscal years, In line with Countrywide Lotteries Commission (NLC) yearly experiences.
Stemmet was appointed a director with the CTMCA in September 1996 but resigned in December 2016. His wife Zainonesa and daughter Raziah ongoing ผล หวย as two of a number of administrators with the organisation. Stemmet was reappointed for a director in 2021.
In line with Meuwese, the developing was leased to Stalph 164, a detailed corporation of which Stemmet was considered one of the directors. The business was deregistered by the businesses and Intellectual Residence Fee (CIPC) in March 2023 for non-compliance in submitting yearly experiences.
A fresh entity While using the same title was subsequently registered as A personal enterprise, but with Stemmet no longer a director, In line with CIPC information. As a substitute, a relative, Ra’ees Stemmet, and Alfonzo van Niekerk have been appointed as directors.
On the night of 12 April 2021 and into the following early morning, the Crete Highway premises have been cleared plus the machinery was eradicated, In keeping with an affidavit by Meuwese. The products was moved to new premises rented by Stemmet in Mymoena Crescent within the Athlone industrial space, which housed many of Stemmet’s companies in addition to a new “minstrel museum”, In line with a leaked investigative report commissioned by the NLC. The investigator also photographed the products at The brand new premises.
Nonetheless, the intended new museum web page, just like the previous just one in Wetton, was well away from any of Cape Town’s tourist routes and guests could not accessibility it. There was no signage within the creating indicating that it housed a museum.
Stemmet’s organizations vacated the premises earlier this calendar year immediately after he fell sick.
The funding to establish a museum wasn't the one lottery grant that the CTMCA acquired. In 2021, the association was allocated R100,000 and R1.five-million in Covid relief grants. The NLC in the beginning refused to reveal who experienced acquired Covid funding but finally relented underneath media and parliamentary pressure.
Other lottery grants allocated to non-financial gain entities associated with Stemmet and his family members and his associates include things like R1.four-million for that Cape Cultural Carnival and Events Committee in 2019/twenty, and an extra R500,000 in 2021/22, Based on NLC annual reports. Stemmet is really a previous director with the committee and his spouse, Zainonesa, is at the moment a director.
And, the Peninsula and District Carnival Affiliation, that's registered with the CTMCA’s former Crete Street workplaces, was allocated R190,000 in 2019/twenty, and a further R635,000 in 2021/22 for just a “craft, woodwork and style and design programme”. Even so, it appears that the 2021/22 payment was withheld following the NLC lifted questions on remarkable reviews connected to earlier funding gained via the CTMCA.
GroundUp has verified which the SIU is investigating the lottery funding been given with the CTMCA.
Also underneath investigation can be a R1-million payment via the CTMCA to MDU Consulting Engineers, which subsequently compensated R500,000 of this to lawyers performing in the purchase of a R27-million mansion for previous NLC Board chairperson Alfred Nevhutanda.
MDU also acted being a conduit for a further R3-m payment by Zibsimanzi, a company wherein the wife of previous NLC COO Phillemon Letwaba was a director, toward the purchase of your mansion. Zibsimanzi gained R4.eight-million to stage a rural soccer Event in Limpopo soon after Letwaba Individually advisable that the grant be paid to his wife’s company.
GroundUp sent thoughts to Stemmet through SMS but he experienced not replied by the point of publication.