“Pot” Stemmet faces rates more than theft of Lottery-funded machines
“Pot” Stemmet faces rates more than theft of Lottery-funded machines
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Richard “Pot” Stemmet, remaining, and an investigator appointed via the Countrywide Lotteries Commission to analyze the Lottery-funded minstrel museum: Photograph from an investigative report commissioned from the NLC
Richard “Pot” Stemmet is dealing with prosecution after devices compensated for with resources in the Lottery was removed from a Cape City building he rented.
Stemmet is to look in court docket in January.
According to a prosecutor the criminal expenses could involve fraud, elimination of equipment that were connected because of the Sheriff and interfering using a City of Cape City electrical energy meter.
The charges stem from the criticism laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who, in the civil court subject, is searching for to Get better above R2.five-million in unpaid hire, curiosity, lawful expenses and damage to a rented setting up in Crete Highway, in the industrial region of Wetton in Cape Town.
The constructing was Beforehand the headquarters from the Cape Town Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA) and is in which a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating the town’s hundreds of years-aged minstrel society was supposedly running.
Convicted prison Richard “Pot” Stemmet is experiencing prosecution for theft and fraud immediately after machines compensated for with Lottery funds was faraway from a Cape Town making.
Stemmet was arrested through the Specialised Professional Crime Device on sixteen Oct 2024 and told to seem in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Courtroom on 21 November.
GroundUp attended courtroom over the day although the make any difference wasn't put on the courtroom roll since the investigating officer did not provide the docket to prosecutors. Stemmet has now been summonsed to appear in court in January.
The criminal costs stem from the complaint laid by Stemmet’s landlord, Sean Meuwese, who is trying to find to recover in excess of R2.five-million in unpaid lease, curiosity, authorized charges and harm to a rented constructing in Crete Street, in the industrial region of Wetton in Cape City.
The setting up was previously the headquarters from the Cape City Minstrel Carnival Association (CTMCA). This is where a non-existent, Lottery-funded museum celebrating town’s generations-previous minstrel culture was supposedly working.
The premises also housed numerous companies owned by Stemmet, whom law enforcement have described as a prescription drugs substantial flier. Among the businesses Stemmet ran from the premises ended up a hat producing business plus a nightclub. Stemmet has long been arrested a number of moments for gun and drug-linked offences and served time for armed theft within the nineteen eighties.
Based on an SMS despatched to Meuwese by the investigating officer, Stemmet has now been summonsed to appear in courtroom on 30 January 2025.
Even though Stemmet is but being offered that has a cost sheet, doable fees, incorporate fraud, removal of kit that had been connected because of the Sheriff, and interfering by using a Town of Cape Town electricity meter, In keeping with an e mail despatched to Meuwese by a senior prosecutor dealing with the make a difference.
A grant of virtually R13-million to determine the minstrel museum was Component of greater than R64-million in Lottery money allotted to the CTMCA amongst 2003 and 2017, with the majority of the money - in excess of R54.three-million - compensated within the 2012/2013, 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 monetary several years, Based on Countrywide Lotteries Fee (NLC) yearly studies.
Stemmet was appointed a director on the CTMCA in September 1996 but resigned in December 2016. His wife Zainonesa and daughter Raziah ongoing หวย หุ้น ช่อง 9 วัน นี้ as two of several administrators of the organisation. Stemmet was reappointed to be a director in 2021.
Based on Meuwese, the developing was leased to Stalph 164, a detailed corporation of which Stemmet was amongst the administrators. The organization was deregistered by the businesses and Intellectual Residence Fee (CIPC) in March 2023 for non-compliance in distributing once-a-year reviews.
A new entity Along with the exact same title was subsequently registered as A non-public enterprise, but with Stemmet not a director, In line with CIPC documents. Rather, a loved one, Ra’ees Stemmet, and Alfonzo van Niekerk ended up appointed as administrators.
Over the night of twelve April 2021 and into the next morning, the Crete Highway premises were cleared along with the machinery was eliminated, In accordance with an affidavit by Meuwese. The tools was moved to new premises rented by Stemmet in Mymoena Crescent while in the Athlone industrial region, which housed a number of of Stemmet’s businesses and also a new “minstrel museum”, In accordance with a leaked investigative report commissioned via the NLC. The investigator also photographed the tools at The brand new premises.
Nevertheless, the intended new museum internet site, just like the previous just one in Wetton, was well from any of Cape City’s vacationer routes and guests could not entry it. There was no signage over the creating indicating that it housed a museum.
Stemmet’s enterprises vacated the premises before this calendar year right after he fell sick.
The funding to ascertain a museum wasn't the only real lottery grant which the CTMCA gained. In 2021, the Affiliation was allocated R100,000 and R1.5-million in Covid reduction grants. The NLC to begin with refused to reveal who experienced acquired Covid funding but last but not least relented below media and parliamentary stress.
Other lottery grants allotted to non-profit entities connected to Stemmet and his family and his associates involve R1.four-million for your Cape Cultural Carnival and Gatherings Committee in 2019/twenty, and an extra R500,000 in 2021/22, In keeping with NLC annual studies. Stemmet is usually a previous director from the committee and his wife, Zainonesa, is at the moment a director.
And, the Peninsula and District Carnival Affiliation, which happens to be registered at the CTMCA’s previous Crete Street offices, was allocated R190,000 in 2019/twenty, and a further R635,000 in 2021/22 to get a “craft, woodwork and style and design programme”. Having said that, it appears that the 2021/22 payment was withheld after the NLC elevated questions on remarkable studies associated with previously funding been given from the CTMCA.
GroundUp has verified which the SIU is investigating the lottery funding obtained because of the CTMCA.
Also under investigation can be a R1-million payment because of the CTMCA to MDU Consulting Engineers, which consequently paid out R500,000 of this to lawyers acting in the acquisition of the 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 firm in which the spouse of former NLC COO Phillemon Letwaba was a director, in the direction of the acquisition of your mansion. Zibsimanzi been given R4.8-million to phase a rural soccer Match in Limpopo soon after Letwaba personally recommended the grant be paid to his spouse’s firm.
GroundUp despatched inquiries to Stemmet by way of SMS but he experienced not replied by the point of publication.