Richard “Pot” Stemmet, left, and an investigator appointed because of the Nationwide Lotteries Fee to investigate the Lottery-funded minstrel museum: Picture from an investigative report commissioned through the NLC
Richard “Pot” Stemmet is facing prosecution after machines paid for with money with the Lottery was faraway from a Cape Town constructing he rented.
Stemmet is to seem in courtroom in January.
In line with a prosecutor the legal fees could involve fraud, elimination of equipment that were attached via the Sheriff and interfering that has a City of Cape City electrical energy meter.
The charges stem from the complaint laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who, inside a civil court docket issue, is in search of to recover more than R2.five-million in unpaid hire, interest, legal fees and harm to a rented developing in Crete Street, in the economic region of Wetton in Cape Town.
The making was previously the headquarters from the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA) and is also where a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the city’s centuries-aged minstrel tradition was supposedly working.
Convicted felony Richard “Pot” Stemmet is facing prosecution for theft and fraud right after devices paid out for with Lottery cash was faraway from a Cape Town setting up.
Stemmet was arrested via the Specialised Business Criminal offense Unit on 16 October 2024 and advised to look while in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on 21 November.
GroundUp attended courtroom on the day although the make a difference was not put on the court docket roll as the investigating officer didn't provide the docket to prosecutors. Stemmet has now been summonsed to look in court docket in January.
The criminal costs stem from the criticism laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who is in search of to Get better above R2.five-million in unpaid lease, fascination, authorized expenditures and harm to a rented constructing in Crete Street, in the commercial space of Wetton in Cape City.
The making was Formerly the headquarters in the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA). This is when a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating town’s hundreds of years-previous minstrel culture was supposedly running.
The premises also housed many firms owned by Stemmet, whom law enforcement have referred to as a medicines superior flier. Amid the companies Stemmet ran from the premises had been a hat manufacturing organization and also a nightclub. Stemmet has been arrested a number of instances for gun and drug-relevant offences and served time for armed robbery while in the nineteen eighties.
In accordance with an SMS sent to Meuwese via the investigating officer, Stemmet has now been summonsed to look in court docket on 30 January 2025.
Whilst Stemmet is nonetheless to get presented which has a demand sheet, achievable costs, involve fraud, removal of apparatus that were hooked up from the Sheriff, and interfering that has a Town of Cape Town electrical power meter, Based on an e mail despatched to Meuwese by a senior prosecutor dealing with the make any difference.
A grant of virtually R13-million to establish the minstrel museum was Component of greater than R64-million in Lottery resources allotted on the CTMCA amongst 2003 and 2017, with the bulk of The cash - in excess of R54.3-million - compensated while in the 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 economic years, In keeping with Nationwide Lotteries Fee (NLC) annual stories.
Stemmet was appointed a director of the CTMCA in September 1996 but resigned in December 2016. His spouse Zainonesa and daughter Raziah ongoing ผล สลากกินแบ่ง as two of numerous administrators with the organisation. Stemmet was reappointed like a director in 2021.
Based on Meuwese, the setting up was leased to Stalph 164, a close Company of which Stemmet was one of the directors. The corporation was deregistered by the Companies and Intellectual House Fee (CIPC) in March 2023 for non-compliance in publishing once-a-year reviews.
A different entity Using the identical title was subsequently registered as a private organization, but with Stemmet not a director, In accordance with CIPC information. Rather, a family member, Ra’ees Stemmet, and Alfonzo van Niekerk were appointed as administrators.
Within the night of 12 April 2021 and into the subsequent morning, the Crete Highway premises had been cleared and the equipment was removed, In keeping with an affidavit by Meuwese. The tools was moved to new premises rented by Stemmet in Mymoena Crescent during the Athlone industrial location, which housed several of Stemmet’s firms and a new “minstrel museum”, In accordance with a leaked investigative report commissioned because of the NLC. The investigator also photographed the equipment at The brand new premises.
Nevertheless, the supposed new museum site, just like the old one in Wetton, was well away from any of Cape City’s tourist routes and guests could not entry it. There was no signage about the developing indicating that it housed a museum.
Stemmet’s businesses vacated the premises previously this year immediately after he fell ill.
The funding to ascertain a museum wasn't the sole lottery grant which the CTMCA received. In 2021, the association was allotted R100,000 and R1.five-million in Covid aid grants. The NLC at first refused to reveal who had gained Covid funding but lastly relented beneath media and parliamentary tension.
Other lottery grants allotted to non-earnings entities connected to Stemmet and his spouse and children and his associates include R1.four-million for the Cape Cultural Carnival and Activities Committee in 2019/20, and a further R500,000 in 2021/22, Based on NLC once-a-year 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, that is registered within the CTMCA’s former Crete Road workplaces, was allotted R190,000 in 2019/20, and an extra R635,000 in 2021/22 for the “craft, woodwork and style and design programme”. Even so, it seems that the 2021/22 payment was withheld after the NLC elevated questions on exceptional experiences connected with before funding received with the CTMCA.
GroundUp has confirmed the SIU is investigating the lottery funding gained because of the CTMCA.
Also less than investigation is really a R1-million payment from the CTMCA to MDU Consulting Engineers, which in turn compensated R500,000 of the to lawyers performing in the purchase 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 wherein the wife of previous NLC COO Phillemon Letwaba was a director, in direction of the acquisition on the mansion. Zibsimanzi received R4.8-million to phase a rural soccer Event in Limpopo soon after Letwaba Individually advised the grant be compensated to his spouse’s organization.
GroundUp despatched questions to Stemmet through SMS but he experienced not replied by the point of publication.