“Pot” Stemmet faces expenses above theft of Lottery-funded devices
“Pot” Stemmet faces expenses above theft of Lottery-funded devices
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Richard “Pot” Stemmet, left, and an investigator appointed via the National Lotteries Commission to research the Lottery-funded minstrel museum: Picture from an investigative report commissioned because of the NLC
Richard “Pot” Stemmet is dealing with prosecution immediately after machines paid for with cash within the Lottery was removed from a Cape City constructing he rented.
Stemmet is to seem in court docket in January.
As outlined by a prosecutor the criminal costs could consist of fraud, elimination of apparatus that had been attached from the Sheriff and interfering having a City of Cape City electrical energy meter.
The fees stem from a grievance laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who, in the civil court docket subject, is trying to find to recover in excess of R2.five-million in unpaid hire, fascination, lawful fees and damage to a rented setting up in Crete Street, in the industrial space of Wetton in Cape City.
The building was previously the headquarters from the Cape City Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA) and is particularly where a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the city’s generations-aged minstrel society was supposedly functioning.
Convicted felony Richard “Pot” Stemmet is experiencing prosecution for theft and fraud immediately after machines paid out for with Lottery resources was faraway from a Cape Town creating.
Stemmet was arrested from the Specialised Professional Crime Unit on sixteen Oct 2024 and explained to to look within the Wynberg Justice of the peace’s Courtroom on 21 November.
GroundUp attended court docket on the working day even so the subject wasn't placed on the court roll as the investigating officer didn't supply the docket to prosecutors. Stemmet has now been summonsed to seem in court in January.
The prison prices stem from a complaint laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, that's in search of to Recuperate above R2.five-million in unpaid lease, curiosity, legal prices and damage to a rented building in Crete Highway, in the industrial place of Wetton in Cape Town.
The setting up was Formerly the headquarters of the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA). This is when a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating town’s centuries-previous minstrel lifestyle was supposedly functioning.
The premises also housed several organizations owned by Stemmet, whom law enforcement have referred to as a prescription drugs high flier. Amongst the businesses Stemmet ran with the premises were being a hat producing enterprise and a nightclub. Stemmet continues to be arrested numerous times for gun and drug-similar offences and served time for armed theft inside the 1980s.
According to an SMS sent to Meuwese by the investigating officer, Stemmet has now been summonsed to seem in court docket on 30 January 2025.
Despite the fact that Stemmet is yet for being introduced with a charge sheet, attainable rates, consist of fraud, removal of equipment that had been attached through the Sheriff, and interfering that has a Metropolis of Cape Town electrical power meter, As outlined by an e mail sent to Meuwese by a senior prosecutor handling the matter.
A grant of just about R13-million to ascertain the minstrel museum was Portion of greater than R64-million in Lottery resources allocated to the CTMCA involving 2003 and 2017, with the bulk of The cash - more than R54.three-million - paid from the 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 monetary decades, 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 wife Zainonesa and daughter Raziah continued หวย หุ้น as two of quite a few directors with the organisation. Stemmet was reappointed as being a director in 2021.
In keeping with Meuwese, the creating was leased to Stalph 164, an in depth Company of which Stemmet was certainly one of the directors. The corporate was deregistered by the businesses and Mental Assets Fee (CIPC) in March 2023 for non-compliance in publishing once-a-year experiences.
A brand new entity With all the identical name was subsequently registered as a private company, but with Stemmet now not a director, In keeping with CIPC data. As an alternative, a family member, Ra’ees Stemmet, and Alfonzo van Niekerk were being appointed as directors.
On the night of twelve April 2021 and into the next early morning, the Crete Road premises ended up cleared as well as 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 enterprises along with a new “minstrel museum”, In line with a leaked investigative report commissioned because of the NLC. The investigator also photographed the equipment at The brand new premises.
Having said that, the meant new museum web page, such as aged just one in Wetton, was properly from any of Cape Town’s vacationer routes and site visitors could not entry it. There was no signage within the developing indicating that it housed a museum.
Stemmet’s enterprises vacated the premises previously this calendar year right after he fell unwell.
The funding to establish a museum was not the one lottery grant that the CTMCA acquired. In 2021, the Affiliation was allotted R100,000 and R1.five-million in Covid relief grants. The NLC originally refused to expose who experienced gained Covid funding but finally relented below media and parliamentary strain.
Other lottery grants allocated to non-financial gain entities associated with Stemmet and his spouse and children and his associates include R1.four-million with the Cape Cultural Carnival and Situations Committee in 2019/twenty, and an additional R500,000 in 2021/22, In accordance with NLC annual experiences. Stemmet is often a former director of the committee and his spouse, Zainonesa, is at the moment a director.
And, the Peninsula and District Carnival Association, which happens to be registered with the CTMCA’s previous Crete Street places of work, was allocated R190,000 in 2019/twenty, and a further R635,000 in 2021/22 for just a “craft, woodwork and design and style programme”. However, it appears that the 2021/22 payment was withheld once the NLC lifted questions about exceptional stories associated with earlier funding acquired because of the CTMCA.
GroundUp has verified which the SIU is investigating the lottery funding been given by the CTMCA.
Also under investigation is a R1-million payment by the CTMCA to MDU Consulting Engineers, which subsequently compensated R500,000 of this to lawyers performing in the acquisition 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 corporation through which the wife of former NLC COO Phillemon Letwaba was a director, in the direction of the acquisition in the mansion. Zibsimanzi received R4.8-million to phase a rural soccer tournament in Limpopo immediately after Letwaba personally advisable which the grant be compensated to his wife’s organization.
GroundUp despatched thoughts to Stemmet by way of SMS but he had not replied by the time of publication.