Richard “Pot” Stemmet, left, and an investigator appointed because of the Countrywide Lotteries Fee to research the Lottery-funded minstrel museum: Photo from an investigative report commissioned via the NLC
Richard “Pot” Stemmet is dealing with prosecution just after tools compensated for with money with the Lottery was removed from a Cape Town creating he rented.
Stemmet is to look in court in January.
In accordance with a prosecutor the felony charges could include things like fraud, elimination of kit that were connected because of the Sheriff and interfering which has a City of Cape Town electricity meter.
The fees stem from a grievance laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who, within a civil court docket issue, is searching for to Get better more than R2.five-million in unpaid hire, interest, legal charges and harm to a rented setting up in Crete Highway, in the economic region of Wetton in Cape Town.
The creating was Formerly the headquarters on the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA) which is the place a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the town’s centuries-aged minstrel lifestyle was supposedly operating.
Convicted felony Richard “Pot” Stemmet is dealing with prosecution for theft and fraud following devices paid out for with Lottery resources was removed from a Cape City developing.
Stemmet was arrested via the Specialised Business Criminal offense Device on 16 October 2024 and explained to to look from the Wynberg Justice of the peace’s Court on 21 November.
GroundUp attended court to the day nevertheless the make any difference wasn't put on the court roll because the investigating officer did not provide the docket to prosecutors. Stemmet has now been summonsed to appear in court in January.
The prison fees stem from the criticism laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, that's looking for to recover above R2.five-million in unpaid lease, curiosity, legal fees and damage to a rented constructing in Crete Road, in the economic area of Wetton in Cape City.
The creating was Formerly the headquarters in the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA). This is where a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the city’s centuries-aged minstrel lifestyle was supposedly operating.
The premises also housed several businesses owned by Stemmet, whom police have called a prescription drugs significant flier. Amid the companies Stemmet ran through the premises were being a hat manufacturing corporation as well as a nightclub. Stemmet has been arrested various times for gun and drug-associated offences and served time for armed robbery in the 1980s.
In line with an SMS sent to Meuwese because of the investigating officer, Stemmet has now been summonsed to seem in courtroom on thirty January 2025.
While Stemmet is nonetheless to generally be offered by using a charge sheet, probable prices, contain fraud, elimination of apparatus that had been connected via the Sheriff, and interfering having a City of Cape Town electrical power meter, In accordance with an electronic mail despatched to Meuwese by a senior prosecutor managing the matter.
A grant of virtually R13-million to ascertain the minstrel museum was part of much more than R64-million in Lottery money allocated to your CTMCA involving 2003 and 2017, with the majority of The cash - in excess of R54.three-million - paid out during the 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 financial a long time, In line with National Lotteries Fee (NLC) annual experiences.
Stemmet was appointed a director of your CTMCA in September 1996 but resigned in December 2016. His wife Zainonesa and daughter Raziah continued ตรวจ หวย ผล สลากกินแบ่ง รัฐบาล งวด as two of quite a few administrators with the organisation. Stemmet was reappointed being a director in 2021.
In keeping with Meuwese, the building was leased to Stalph 164, a close Company of which Stemmet was one of the administrators. The corporate was deregistered by the Companies and Mental Residence Commission (CIPC) in March 2023 for non-compliance in publishing annual reports.
A completely new entity Along with the exact same title was subsequently registered as A non-public company, but with Stemmet not a director, As outlined by CIPC documents. Instead, a family member, Ra’ees Stemmet, and Alfonzo van Niekerk had been appointed as directors.
Around the night of twelve April 2021 and into the following morning, the Crete Highway premises had been cleared along with the machinery was removed, In keeping with an affidavit by Meuwese. The devices was moved to new premises rented by Stemmet in Mymoena Crescent while in the Athlone industrial spot, which housed a number of of Stemmet’s enterprises and also a new “minstrel museum”, Based on a leaked investigative report commissioned via the NLC. The investigator also photographed the products at The brand new premises.
Nevertheless, the supposed new museum internet site, just like the previous just one in Wetton, was effectively from any of Cape Town’s tourist routes and guests couldn't entry it. There was no signage about the constructing indicating that it housed a museum.
Stemmet’s enterprises vacated the premises previously this year after he fell sick.
The funding to establish a museum wasn't the only real lottery grant which the CTMCA been given. In 2021, the Affiliation was allotted R100,000 and R1.5-million in Covid relief grants. The NLC initially refused to expose who had been given Covid funding but eventually relented beneath media and parliamentary stress.
Other lottery grants allotted to non-earnings entities associated with Stemmet and his loved ones and his associates contain R1.four-million with the Cape Cultural Carnival and Activities Committee in 2019/20, and an additional R500,000 in 2021/22, Based on NLC annual reports. Stemmet is a previous director with the committee and his spouse, Zainonesa, is at this time a director.
And, the Peninsula and District Carnival Affiliation, that's registered with the CTMCA’s former Crete Highway offices, was allotted R190,000 in 2019/20, and an extra R635,000 in 2021/22 for your “craft, woodwork and style and design programme”. Even so, it seems that the 2021/22 payment was withheld following the NLC lifted questions on excellent stories connected with before funding gained from the CTMCA.
GroundUp has confirmed which the SIU is investigating the lottery funding received because of the CTMCA.
Also under investigation can be a R1-million payment via the CTMCA to MDU Consulting Engineers, which in turn paid R500,000 of the to legal professionals performing in the purchase of a R27-million mansion for former NLC Board chairperson Alfred Nevhutanda.
MDU also acted as being a conduit for an extra R3-m payment by Zibsimanzi, a firm where the wife of previous NLC COO Phillemon Letwaba was a director, in direction of the acquisition on the mansion. Zibsimanzi received R4.eight-million to stage a rural soccer Match in Limpopo soon after Letwaba Individually recommended the grant be compensated to his wife’s company.
GroundUp sent concerns to Stemmet by using SMS but he had not replied by the time of publication.