Richard “Pot” Stemmet, remaining, and an investigator appointed via the National Lotteries Fee to investigate the Lottery-funded minstrel museum: Photograph from an investigative report commissioned through the NLC
Richard “Pot” Stemmet is going through prosecution right after devices compensated for with funds through the Lottery was removed from a Cape Town developing he rented.
Stemmet is to appear in court in January.
In accordance with a prosecutor the criminal costs could consist of fraud, removing of equipment that were hooked up by the Sheriff and interfering having a Town of Cape Town energy meter.
The charges stem from the complaint laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who, in a civil courtroom matter, is looking for to Get better more than R2.5-million in unpaid lease, desire, legal prices and harm to a rented developing in Crete Road, in the commercial space of Wetton in Cape City.
The building was Formerly the headquarters in the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA) and is also where by a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating town’s hundreds of years-previous minstrel culture was supposedly functioning.
Convicted legal Richard “Pot” Stemmet is dealing with prosecution for theft and fraud following equipment paid out for with Lottery resources was removed from a Cape City making.
Stemmet was arrested because of the Specialised Commercial Criminal offense Unit on sixteen October 2024 and told to appear within the Wynberg Justice of the peace’s Courtroom on 21 November.
GroundUp attended court around the working day even so the make a difference 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 legal charges stem from the criticism laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, that's seeking to recover more than R2.five-million in unpaid lease, fascination, legal fees and harm to a rented setting up in Crete Street, in the industrial area of Wetton in Cape City.
The making was Earlier the headquarters of your Cape City Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA). This is when a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the city’s hundreds of years-aged minstrel tradition was supposedly working.
The premises also housed a number of businesses owned by Stemmet, whom police have referred to as a drugs significant flier. Amongst the companies Stemmet ran from your premises were being a hat manufacturing corporation plus a nightclub. Stemmet has become arrested quite a few instances for gun and drug-associated offences and served time for armed theft inside the eighties.
Based on an SMS despatched to Meuwese because of the investigating officer, Stemmet has now been summonsed to appear in courtroom on 30 January 2025.
Whilst Stemmet is still to get introduced using a demand sheet, attainable costs, involve fraud, removal of kit that had been attached via the Sheriff, and interfering by using a City of Cape Town electrical energy meter, In keeping with an e mail sent to Meuwese by a senior prosecutor dealing with the subject.
A grant of virtually R13-million to ascertain the minstrel museum was Section of in excess of R64-million in Lottery resources allotted to the CTMCA among 2003 and 2017, with the bulk of The cash - around R54.three-million - paid within the 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 economic decades, Based on Countrywide Lotteries Commission (NLC) yearly experiences.
Stemmet was appointed a director in the CTMCA in September 1996 but resigned in December 2016. His spouse Zainonesa and daughter Raziah continued ตรวจ รางวัล as two of numerous directors of the organisation. Stemmet was reappointed to be a director in 2021.
In keeping with Meuwese, the setting up was leased to Stalph 164, an in depth Company of which Stemmet was amongst the directors. The corporation was deregistered by the Companies and Mental Home Commission (CIPC) in March 2023 for non-compliance in publishing annual experiences.
A different entity Along with the exact same title was subsequently registered as A non-public enterprise, but with Stemmet now not a director, according to CIPC records. As an alternative, a member of the family, Ra’ees Stemmet, and Alfonzo van Niekerk ended up appointed as directors.
Within the evening of twelve April 2021 and into the next morning, the Crete Street premises have been cleared as well as the equipment was taken off, In keeping with an affidavit by Meuwese. The devices was moved to new premises rented by Stemmet in Mymoena Crescent from the Athlone industrial spot, which housed numerous of Stemmet’s firms along with a new “minstrel museum”, In keeping with a leaked investigative report commissioned through the NLC. The investigator also photographed the machines at the new premises.
Even so, the meant new museum site, such as the outdated a person in Wetton, was well far from any of Cape Town’s vacationer routes and guests could not obtain it. There was no signage within the creating indicating that it housed a museum.
Stemmet’s firms vacated the premises earlier this year after he fell ill.
The funding to ascertain a museum wasn't the sole lottery grant the CTMCA acquired. In 2021, the Affiliation was allotted R100,000 and R1.5-million in Covid reduction grants. The NLC originally refused to expose who had acquired Covid funding but lastly relented underneath media and parliamentary pressure.
Other lottery grants allocated to non-earnings entities connected to Stemmet and his family members and his associates involve R1.four-million with the Cape Cultural Carnival and Occasions Committee in 2019/20, and a further R500,000 in 2021/22, In accordance with NLC yearly studies. Stemmet is often a former director in the committee and his wife, Zainonesa, is currently a director.
And, the Peninsula and District Carnival Affiliation, and that is registered for the CTMCA’s former Crete Street offices, was allotted R190,000 in 2019/twenty, and an additional R635,000 in 2021/22 for a “craft, woodwork and style and design programme”. On the other hand, it appears that the 2021/22 payment was withheld following the NLC lifted questions about exceptional experiences linked to previously funding gained by the CTMCA.
GroundUp has confirmed that the SIU is investigating the lottery funding acquired because of the CTMCA.
Also less than investigation is really a R1-million payment from the CTMCA to MDU Consulting Engineers, which in turn paid out 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 to be a conduit for an extra R3-m payment by Zibsimanzi, a corporation in which the spouse of former NLC COO Phillemon Letwaba was a director, towards the acquisition in the mansion. Zibsimanzi obtained R4.eight-million to stage a rural soccer Event in Limpopo soon after Letwaba personally encouraged that the grant be paid out to his spouse’s firm.
GroundUp despatched queries to Stemmet by using SMS but he experienced not replied by the time of publication.