“Pot” Stemmet faces costs above theft of Lottery-funded machines
“Pot” Stemmet faces costs above theft of Lottery-funded machines
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Richard “Pot” Stemmet, still left, and an investigator appointed with the National Lotteries Commission to investigate the Lottery-funded minstrel museum: Picture from an investigative report commissioned from the NLC
Richard “Pot” Stemmet is facing prosecution following products paid for with funds within the Lottery was faraway from a Cape City constructing he rented.
Stemmet is to look in court docket in January.
As outlined by a prosecutor the prison costs could include things like fraud, removing of apparatus that had been connected by the Sheriff and interfering with a Town of Cape Town electricity meter.
The costs stem from a criticism laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who, within a civil court docket make any difference, is trying to get to Recuperate more than R2.5-million in unpaid rent, curiosity, lawful charges and damage to a rented constructing in Crete Highway, in the industrial region of Wetton in Cape Town.
The making was previously the headquarters of the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA) and is particularly 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 going through prosecution for theft and fraud right after equipment paid out for with Lottery funds was faraway from a Cape Town setting up.
Stemmet was arrested with the Specialised Professional Crime Unit on 16 October 2024 and told to appear while in the Wynberg Justice of the peace’s Court docket on 21 November.
GroundUp attended court about the working day nevertheless the make any difference wasn't put on the courtroom roll since the investigating officer did not deliver the docket to prosecutors. Stemmet has now been summonsed to appear in court docket in January.
The felony prices stem from a complaint laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, that's trying to get to Get well above R2.5-million in unpaid hire, curiosity, authorized expenditures and damage to a rented developing in Crete Road, in the industrial region of Wetton in Cape City.
The setting up was Beforehand the headquarters on the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Affiliation (CTMCA). This is where a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the town’s generations-outdated minstrel culture was supposedly running.
The premises also housed a number of corporations owned by Stemmet, whom law enforcement have described as a drugs significant flier. Among the businesses Stemmet ran within the premises had been a hat production enterprise along with a nightclub. Stemmet has actually been arrested quite a few situations for gun and drug-related offences and served time for armed theft while in the eighties.
As outlined by an SMS despatched to Meuwese through the investigating officer, Stemmet has now been summonsed to look in courtroom on 30 January 2025.
Although Stemmet is nonetheless to get introduced by using a demand sheet, attainable rates, incorporate fraud, removing of kit that had been attached because of the Sheriff, and interfering with a City of Cape Town energy meter, Based on an e mail despatched to Meuwese by a senior prosecutor handling the issue.
A grant of just about R13-million to establish the minstrel museum was Portion of much more than R64-million in Lottery funds allocated towards the CTMCA in between 2003 and 2017, with the bulk of The cash - about R54.three-million - paid in the 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 economical decades, according to Countrywide Lotteries Fee (NLC) annual reports.
Stemmet was appointed a director from the CTMCA in September 1996 but resigned in December 2016. His wife Zainonesa and daughter Raziah ongoing หวย รัฐบาล as two of numerous directors with the organisation. Stemmet was reappointed being a director in 2021.
Based on Meuwese, the making was leased to Stalph 164, a close Company of which Stemmet was amongst the directors. The corporation was deregistered by the Companies and Intellectual Assets Commission (CIPC) in March 2023 for non-compliance in distributing yearly reports.
A whole new entity While using the very same title was subsequently registered as A non-public corporation, but with Stemmet now not a director, Based on CIPC information. Alternatively, a loved one, Ra’ees Stemmet, and Alfonzo van Niekerk have been appointed as directors.
Around the night of 12 April 2021 and into the next morning, the Crete Highway premises ended up cleared plus the machinery was eradicated, In keeping with an affidavit by Meuwese. The machines was moved to new premises rented by Stemmet in Mymoena Crescent while in the Athlone industrial region, which housed various of Stemmet’s firms and a new “minstrel museum”, As outlined by a leaked investigative report commissioned from the NLC. The investigator also photographed the devices at The brand new premises.
Nonetheless, the supposed new museum internet site, such as old one particular in Wetton, was well away from any of Cape City’s vacationer routes and people couldn't accessibility it. There was no signage within the setting up indicating that it housed a museum.
Stemmet’s corporations vacated the premises previously this 12 months immediately after he fell sick.
The funding to establish a museum wasn't the only lottery grant which the CTMCA been given. In 2021, the association was allocated R100,000 and R1.five-million in Covid relief grants. The NLC initially refused to reveal who had received Covid funding but last but not least relented below media and parliamentary force.
Other lottery grants allotted to non-earnings entities connected to Stemmet and his family members and his associates involve R1.four-million for the Cape Cultural Carnival and Occasions Committee in 2019/20, and a further R500,000 in 2021/22, In accordance with NLC annual reviews. Stemmet is actually a former director of your committee and his spouse, Zainonesa, is at this time a director.
And, the Peninsula and District Carnival Affiliation, and that is registered on the CTMCA’s previous Crete Street offices, was allocated R190,000 in 2019/twenty, and an additional R635,000 in 2021/22 to get a “craft, woodwork and design programme”. However, it seems that the 2021/22 payment was withheld after the NLC raised questions on excellent stories linked to before funding obtained because of the CTMCA.
GroundUp has verified which the SIU is investigating the lottery funding obtained with the CTMCA.
Also under investigation can be a R1-million payment with the CTMCA to MDU Consulting Engineers, which subsequently paid out R500,000 of this to lawyers acting in the purchase of the R27-million mansion for previous NLC Board chairperson Alfred Nevhutanda.
MDU also acted to be a conduit for an additional R3-m payment by Zibsimanzi, a business during which the spouse of previous NLC COO Phillemon Letwaba was a director, toward the purchase from the mansion. Zibsimanzi been given R4.8-million to phase a rural soccer Match in Limpopo following Letwaba Individually advised the grant be paid to his wife’s business.
GroundUp sent questions to Stemmet through SMS but he experienced not replied by the point of publication.