“Pot” Stemmet faces costs about theft of Lottery-funded gear
“Pot” Stemmet faces costs about theft of Lottery-funded gear
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Richard “Pot” Stemmet, remaining, and an investigator appointed from the National Lotteries Fee to analyze the Lottery-funded minstrel museum: Photograph from an investigative report commissioned because of the NLC
Richard “Pot” Stemmet is going through prosecution following machines compensated for with resources from the Lottery was faraway from a Cape City developing he rented.
Stemmet is to appear in court in January.
Based on a prosecutor the criminal charges could contain fraud, elimination of apparatus that were hooked up because of the Sheriff and interfering by using a City of Cape City energy meter.
The costs stem from a complaint laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who, in a civil courtroom matter, is seeking to Recuperate about R2.5-million in unpaid hire, interest, legal prices and damage to a rented developing in Crete Road, in the commercial area of Wetton in Cape City.
The building was previously the headquarters from the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA) and it is the place a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the town’s centuries-previous minstrel culture was supposedly operating.
Convicted criminal Richard “Pot” Stemmet is facing prosecution for theft and fraud right after tools paid out for with Lottery funds was faraway from a Cape Town building.
Stemmet was arrested by the Specialised Professional Crime Unit on 16 Oct 2024 and told to seem in the Wynberg Justice of the peace’s Court docket on 21 November.
GroundUp attended court about the working day however the subject wasn't put on the court roll as the investigating officer didn't deliver the docket to prosecutors. Stemmet has now been summonsed to look in court in January.
The criminal prices stem from the criticism laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, that's in search of to Get well above R2.five-million in unpaid rent, interest, lawful charges and damage to a rented developing in Crete Highway, in the commercial area of Wetton in Cape City.
The constructing was previously the headquarters with the Cape City Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA). This is when a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating town’s hundreds of years-old minstrel society was supposedly operating.
The premises also housed many companies owned by Stemmet, whom law enforcement have described as a medications high flier. Amid the businesses Stemmet ran from the premises ended up a hat manufacturing firm and a nightclub. Stemmet has actually been arrested quite a few situations for gun and drug-linked offences and served time for armed robbery inside the 1980s.
In accordance with an SMS despatched to Meuwese via the investigating officer, Stemmet has now been summonsed to seem in court docket on thirty January 2025.
Despite the fact that Stemmet is nevertheless to get introduced that has a charge sheet, probable fees, incorporate fraud, removal of apparatus that were attached by the Sheriff, and interfering which has a City of Cape City energy meter, In keeping with an e-mail sent to Meuwese by a senior prosecutor dealing with the make any difference.
A grant of almost R13-million to ascertain the minstrel museum was Element of a lot more than R64-million in Lottery funds allocated to the CTMCA involving 2003 and 2017, with the bulk of The cash - over R54.3-million - compensated in the 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 economic several years, In keeping with Countrywide Lotteries Commission (NLC) annual reports.
Stemmet was appointed a director of your CTMCA in September 1996 but resigned in December 2016. His spouse Zainonesa and daughter Raziah ongoing หวย วัน นี้ as two of numerous administrators of your organisation. Stemmet was reappointed for a director in 2021.
As outlined by Meuwese, the constructing was leased to Stalph 164, a detailed corporation of which Stemmet was amongst the directors. The company was deregistered by the Companies and Mental Property Commission (CIPC) in March 2023 for non-compliance in distributing once-a-year reports.
A whole new entity With all the similar name was subsequently registered as a private corporation, but with Stemmet now not a director, Based on CIPC information. Alternatively, a relative, Ra’ees Stemmet, and Alfonzo van Niekerk were being appointed as directors.
Within the night of twelve April 2021 and into the next morning, the Crete Highway premises have been cleared along with the machinery was eradicated, In keeping with an affidavit by Meuwese. The machines was moved to new premises rented by Stemmet in Mymoena Crescent from the Athlone industrial location, which housed several of Stemmet’s businesses plus a new “minstrel museum”, according to a leaked investigative report commissioned through the NLC. The investigator also photographed the devices at The brand new premises.
Nevertheless, the supposed new museum web site, similar to the outdated a person in Wetton, was well away from any of Cape City’s vacationer routes and people could not entry it. There was no signage to the setting up indicating that it housed a museum.
Stemmet’s enterprises vacated the premises previously this yr after he fell sick.
The funding to establish a museum wasn't the one lottery grant that the CTMCA gained. 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 had been given Covid funding but ultimately relented less than media and parliamentary pressure.
Other lottery grants allocated to non-income entities associated with Stemmet and his family and his associates contain R1.4-million for your Cape Cultural Carnival and Activities Committee in 2019/20, and a further R500,000 in 2021/22, Based on NLC annual experiences. Stemmet is usually a previous director on the committee and his wife, Zainonesa, is now a director.
And, the Peninsula and District Carnival Affiliation, that is registered at the CTMCA’s former Crete Highway offices, was allotted R190,000 in 2019/twenty, and an additional R635,000 in 2021/22 for just a “craft, woodwork and style and design programme”. Nevertheless, it appears that the 2021/22 payment was withheld once the NLC lifted questions about fantastic stories associated with previously funding acquired because of the CTMCA.
GroundUp has verified the SIU is investigating the lottery funding gained via the CTMCA.
Also less than investigation is a R1-million payment by the CTMCA to MDU Consulting Engineers, which in turn compensated R500,000 of the to lawyers acting in the acquisition of a R27-million mansion for previous NLC Board chairperson Alfred Nevhutanda.
MDU also acted for a conduit for a further R3-m payment by Zibsimanzi, a company in which the spouse of previous NLC COO Phillemon Letwaba was a director, toward the purchase with the mansion. Zibsimanzi obtained R4.eight-million to stage a rural soccer Match in Limpopo just after Letwaba personally encouraged that the grant be paid to his wife’s enterprise.
GroundUp sent inquiries to Stemmet by using SMS but he experienced not replied by the point of publication.