“Pot” Stemmet faces expenses around theft of Lottery-funded tools
“Pot” Stemmet faces expenses around theft of Lottery-funded tools
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Richard “Pot” Stemmet, left, and an investigator appointed because of the Nationwide Lotteries Commission to research the Lottery-funded minstrel museum: Picture from an investigative report commissioned via the NLC
Richard “Pot” Stemmet is facing prosecution soon after products paid out for with funds from the Lottery was faraway from a Cape Town developing he rented.
Stemmet is to seem in court docket in January.
As outlined by a prosecutor the criminal fees could contain fraud, removal of equipment that were attached with the Sheriff and interfering that has a Metropolis of Cape Town electricity meter.
The fees stem from the complaint laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who, in a civil courtroom make a difference, is in search of to recover above R2.five-million in unpaid lease, fascination, lawful costs and harm to a rented constructing in Crete Highway, in the industrial space of Wetton in Cape Town.
The creating was Formerly the headquarters on the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA) and is also wherever a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating town’s hundreds of years-outdated minstrel tradition was supposedly functioning.
Convicted felony Richard “Pot” Stemmet is struggling with prosecution for theft and fraud immediately after gear paid out for with Lottery money was removed from a Cape City constructing.
Stemmet was arrested via the Specialised Professional Crime Unit on sixteen October 2024 and explained to to seem within the Wynberg Magistrate’s Courtroom on 21 November.
GroundUp attended court docket about the day although the issue wasn't put on the court roll because the investigating officer did not provide the docket to prosecutors. Stemmet has now been summonsed to look in court docket in January.
The prison expenses stem from a complaint laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, that is in search of to recover above R2.5-million in unpaid lease, curiosity, lawful expenses and harm to a rented developing in Crete Road, in the industrial location of Wetton in Cape Town.
The building was Earlier the headquarters of your Cape City Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA). This is where a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the town’s generations-outdated minstrel tradition was supposedly functioning.
The premises also housed many companies owned by Stemmet, whom police have referred to as a medication superior flier. Amid the businesses Stemmet ran within the premises ended up a hat producing corporation as well as a nightclub. Stemmet has long been arrested a number of periods for gun and drug-linked offences and served time for armed theft inside the eighties.
According to an SMS sent to Meuwese by the investigating officer, Stemmet has now been summonsed to look in courtroom on 30 January 2025.
Though Stemmet is but to get presented with a demand sheet, probable prices, contain fraud, removing of equipment that were hooked up with the Sheriff, and interfering having a Metropolis of Cape Town electric power meter, In line with an electronic mail sent to Meuwese by a senior prosecutor managing the make a difference.
A grant of almost R13-million to establish the minstrel museum was Portion of in excess of R64-million in Lottery cash allocated to your CTMCA involving 2003 and 2017, with the bulk of The cash - more than R54.three-million - paid during the 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 fiscal many years, according to National Lotteries Fee (NLC) once-a-year reports.
Stemmet was appointed a director with the CTMCA in September 1996 but resigned in December 2016. His spouse Zainonesa and daughter Raziah continued ตรวจ หวย ล่าสุด as two of various directors with the organisation. Stemmet was reappointed like a director in 2021.
According to Meuwese, the constructing was leased to Stalph 164, a detailed corporation of which Stemmet was one among the administrators. The organization was deregistered by the Companies and Mental Residence Fee (CIPC) in March 2023 for non-compliance in publishing annual reviews.
A different entity with the exact same name was subsequently registered as a private business, but with Stemmet not a director, In accordance with CIPC records. Rather, a relative, Ra’ees Stemmet, and Alfonzo van Niekerk ended up appointed as directors.
On the evening of twelve April 2021 and into the next early morning, the Crete Road premises ended up cleared as well as the equipment was removed, As outlined by an affidavit by Meuwese. The gear was moved to new premises rented by Stemmet in Mymoena Crescent from the Athlone industrial region, which housed many of Stemmet’s businesses as well as a new “minstrel museum”, As outlined by a leaked investigative report commissioned via the NLC. The investigator also photographed the equipment at The brand new premises.
Nevertheless, the supposed new museum website, such as the previous 1 in Wetton, was nicely clear of any of Cape City’s tourist routes and visitors couldn't entry it. There was no signage within the building indicating that it housed a museum.
Stemmet’s enterprises vacated the premises earlier this calendar year right after he fell unwell.
The funding to establish a museum was not the only real lottery grant that the CTMCA acquired. In 2021, the Affiliation was allotted R100,000 and R1.5-million in Covid reduction grants. The NLC to begin with refused to expose who experienced received Covid funding but last but not least relented underneath media and parliamentary tension.
Other lottery grants allotted to non-profit entities linked to Stemmet and his loved ones and his associates incorporate R1.4-million for your Cape Cultural Carnival and Functions Committee in 2019/20, and a further R500,000 in 2021/22, Based on NLC once-a-year stories. 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 for the CTMCA’s former Crete Street places of work, was allocated R190,000 in 2019/twenty, and a further R635,000 in 2021/22 for the “craft, woodwork and design programme”. On the other hand, it appears that the 2021/22 payment was withheld following the NLC elevated questions on outstanding reviews relevant to before funding been given from the CTMCA.
GroundUp has confirmed that the SIU is investigating the lottery funding received by the CTMCA.
Also under investigation is really a R1-million payment from the CTMCA to MDU Consulting Engineers, which in turn 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 company wherein the wife of previous NLC COO Phillemon Letwaba was a director, toward the purchase on the mansion. Zibsimanzi received R4.8-million to phase a rural soccer Event in Limpopo soon after Letwaba Individually suggested the grant be compensated to his spouse’s business.
GroundUp sent issues to Stemmet by using SMS but he experienced not replied by the point of publication.