Richard “Pot” Stemmet, remaining, and an investigator appointed from the Countrywide Lotteries Commission to research the Lottery-funded minstrel museum: Photo from an investigative report commissioned by the NLC
Richard “Pot” Stemmet is dealing with prosecution right after devices compensated for with funds within the Lottery was removed from a Cape Town setting up he rented.
Stemmet is to appear in courtroom in January.
In keeping with a prosecutor the legal fees could consist of fraud, removal of kit that were connected via the Sheriff and interfering having a City of Cape City electricity meter.
The fees stem from a criticism laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who, inside of a civil courtroom subject, is seeking to Get better in excess of R2.five-million in unpaid lease, desire, legal charges and harm to a rented building in Crete Road, in the commercial space of Wetton in Cape City.
The setting up was Beforehand the headquarters of the Cape City Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA) and is where by a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating town’s generations-aged minstrel tradition was supposedly working.
Convicted legal Richard “Pot” Stemmet is struggling with prosecution for theft and fraud immediately after machines paid out for with Lottery funds was faraway from a Cape City building.
Stemmet was arrested because of the Specialised Business Criminal offense Unit on sixteen October 2024 and explained to to seem within the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court docket on 21 November.
GroundUp attended courtroom on the day however the matter was not put on the court docket roll as the investigating officer didn't deliver the docket to prosecutors. Stemmet has now been summonsed to seem in courtroom in January.
The prison fees stem from the criticism laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who is trying to get to recover in excess of R2.five-million in unpaid lease, desire, lawful costs and damage to a rented developing in Crete Highway, in the economic area of Wetton in Cape City.
The creating was previously the headquarters of your Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA). This is when a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the town’s generations-previous minstrel society was supposedly running.
The premises also housed numerous companies owned by Stemmet, whom police have described as a drugs significant flier. Amid the companies Stemmet ran from your premises were being a hat manufacturing firm and a nightclub. Stemmet has become arrested various situations for gun and drug-associated offences and served time for armed robbery inside the eighties.
In line with an SMS sent to Meuwese through the investigating officer, Stemmet has now been summonsed to appear in court on thirty January 2025.
Whilst Stemmet is however to become introduced that has a charge sheet, probable prices, incorporate fraud, removing of kit that were connected via the Sheriff, and interfering which has a City of Cape Town electrical energy meter, In keeping with an e-mail sent to Meuwese by a senior prosecutor handling the issue.
A grant of almost R13-million to establish the minstrel museum was Section of more than R64-million in Lottery resources allotted into the CTMCA between 2003 and 2017, with the bulk of The cash - over R54.three-million - paid out in the 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 economical decades, according to Nationwide Lotteries Fee (NLC) once-a-year stories.
Stemmet was appointed a director with the CTMCA in September 1996 but resigned in December 2016. His wife Zainonesa and daughter Raziah ongoing ตรวจ หวย as two of various directors in the organisation. Stemmet was reappointed as a director in 2021.
According to Meuwese, the setting up was leased to Stalph 164, an in depth corporation of which Stemmet was certainly one of the administrators. The organization was deregistered by the businesses and Mental Residence Fee (CIPC) in March 2023 for non-compliance in distributing once-a-year reviews.
A brand new entity With all the exact name was subsequently registered as A non-public enterprise, but with Stemmet not a director, In keeping with CIPC records. In its place, a relative, Ra’ees Stemmet, and Alfonzo van Niekerk were appointed as directors.
Around the night of twelve April 2021 and into the following early morning, the Crete Street premises have been cleared along with the machinery was removed, Based on an affidavit by Meuwese. The gear was moved to new premises rented by Stemmet in Mymoena Crescent within the Athlone industrial area, which housed quite a few of Stemmet’s corporations along with a new “minstrel museum”, As outlined by a leaked investigative report commissioned with the NLC. The investigator also photographed the machines at The brand new premises.
On the other hand, the meant new museum site, much like the outdated just one in Wetton, was nicely from any of Cape Town’s vacationer routes and guests couldn't accessibility it. There was no signage over the building indicating that it housed a museum.
Stemmet’s businesses vacated the premises previously this year after he fell unwell.
The funding to establish a museum wasn't the only lottery grant the CTMCA obtained. In 2021, the Affiliation was allocated R100,000 and R1.5-million in Covid reduction grants. The NLC at first refused to expose who experienced obtained Covid funding but finally relented beneath media and parliamentary pressure.
Other lottery grants allocated to non-financial gain entities linked to Stemmet and his household and his associates include R1.4-million for that Cape Cultural Carnival and Activities Committee in 2019/20, and an extra R500,000 in 2021/22, In accordance with NLC yearly stories. Stemmet is a previous director with the committee and his wife, Zainonesa, is at this time a director.
And, the Peninsula and District Carnival Affiliation, that's registered on the CTMCA’s former Crete Street workplaces, was allotted R190,000 in 2019/twenty, and a further R635,000 in 2021/22 to get a “craft, woodwork and style programme”. However, it appears that the 2021/22 payment was withheld once the NLC raised questions about remarkable reports associated with previously funding received through the CTMCA.
GroundUp has confirmed the SIU is investigating the lottery funding gained by the CTMCA.
Also under investigation is really a R1-million payment with the CTMCA to MDU Consulting Engineers, which consequently paid R500,000 of the to attorneys acting 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, towards the acquisition on the mansion. Zibsimanzi obtained R4.eight-million to phase a rural soccer tournament in Limpopo after Letwaba personally suggested which 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.